Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The ornate carriage rocked lightly along the earthy road towards the Capital of the empire, carrying two nobles and their companion inside. Rui Kamishiro, heir to the isolated northern duchy; Nene Kusanagi, daughter of a northern earl, and Mizuki Akiyama, personal knight and part-time tailor.

Rui sighed heavily for the twentieth time during the journey, the trip having already taken two days due to the vastness of the empire and the unfavorable location of the duchy, which only reinforced the nobleman's displeasure at moving too far from his home. Seriously, why after ten years away from the Capital did he decide to attend this year’s social season? Ah yes, because of Nene and his own parents.

“Stop sighing, Rui. I'm the one who goes to the Capital the most between the two of us, and you're the one complaining?”

Nene's parents decided that it would be a good idea for her to attend this year's social season, as it would be made even more special due to Princess Saki's 20th birthday (besides being considered bad etiquette not to attend). Because of this, in addition to Nene's insistent request that Rui accompany her, Rui's parents also encouraged him to go so that he could represent the north and congratulate the princess on their behalf (Rui’s and Nene’s parents were busy with some matters and wouldn’t be able to stay far away from their territory to go to the Capital). Faced with all this pressure around him, Rui ended up giving in and agreeing to go, resulting in the current moment inside the carriage.

“Exactly, you're used to it, Nene. The last time I came to the Capital was when we saw that play at the Royal Theater ten years ago.”

“Come on, what can be so terrible during social season?” Mizuki tried to argue alongside Nene, but it only resulted in long-suffering grunts from the two nobles.

“Unwanted suitors chasing you.”

“Too many people.”

“Excessive rules and etiquette.”

“Individuals trying to take advantage of you to make deals.”

“Okay okay, I get it. Social season sucks for you guys.” Mizuki caved in to the nobles' displeasure.

And indeed, it was exactly as they said. The presence of northern nobles was unusual and aroused people's curiosity, and Rui's high status attracted more attention than he wanted. Rui feared the moment when he would step into the first mandatory event, aware of the possible traps that awaited him.

“You've never been to the Capital during social season, have you, Mizuki?”

“No, but I've been there at other times. The clothes are simply divine! I am happy to be able to accompany you two, especially Rui with his terrible taste in fashion.”

Nene smirked in agreement, but Rui didn't comment against it, just turning his sullen expression out to the window. Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to explain his sense of style, people frowned in disapproval or with laughter, but Rui would still wear what he wanted outside social obligations.

But the first thing that comes to mind when mentioning the name Rui Kamishiro is the word “eccentric”. That wasn't surprising, considering his parents were also known for the same trait. It's only fitting that their child is the same, isn't it? So no, Rui did not consider this description as something negative, he prided himself on being different from others with his ideas and inventions. However, what irritated him is the negative connotation that the nobles, especially those from the Capital, liked to attribute to this adjective.

Now, despite the questionable fame, it is undeniable that the Kamishiro duchy is a pioneer in scientific discoveries and technological revolutions, contributing both to the internal development of the empire and also to the protection of their borders, which has generated over the years a sense of admiration for the north by other regions. Every time he thought about it, Rui felt an indescribable pride, knowing that his ancestors and parents were responsible for all that. He was determined to follow suit and make his own contribution. However, he also understood that to achieve so many great things, the people behind it all needed to dedicate themselves intensely to research and testing, rarely attending any kind of social event. This reserved posture earned the north the reputation of being mysterious and reclusive.

No, this whole explanation is not an attempt to justify Rui Kamishiro's introversion and reclusion.

He just didn't like dealing with fake people who had ulterior motives. And it was exactly to the center of all this falsehood that they were getting closer with each passing minute.

The dirt path turned to stone, a sign that they had finally reached the outskirts of the Capital; buildings and other constructions appeared in the landscape, which was before full of vegetation and mountains. Peasants going about their daily lives made way for the luxurious carriage to pass, curious children tried to look inside and were scolded by their parents for the danger of approaching a moving carriage.

Everyone looked calm and cheerful. Rui was happy to know that the empire was prospering after the end of the war twenty-five years ago, his mother told him stories of how the misery of war reached at one point even the Capital, but that thanks to the benevolent current rulers, peace was established and everything went back to stabilizing again. To celebrate victory and unity between the empire's provinces, social seasons were once again held in celebration.

“In which residence will you be staying in these months?” Mizuki asked, making Rui wake up from his thoughts after several long minutes.

“Unfortunately, the Kusanagi residence in the Capital is undergoing major renovation, so we're heading to the Otori family manor.”

“They are one of the three duchies of the empire, no?”

“Yes, I can't wait to get there; it's been a while since I last saw Emu in person.” Nene seemed to have recovered all her energy when she remembered the main reason she submitted to the visits to the Capital: the girl she was courting (although not publicly yet).

The Empire, despite its great size, had only three families with the title of a duchy, each having their own functions that contributed greatly to the empire. The Aoyagi duchy, with strong military power; the Otori duchy, funding and promoting art and culture; and lastly the Kamishiro duchy, providing new research and technology.

“Then you'll be happy to know I won't be staying with you, Nene.”

Nene immediately stopped smiling, frowning and staring at him with a mixture of surprise and doubt since despite the high title they held, for rarely visiting the Capital in the long term, the Kamishiro family had no residence there, so naturally Nene assumed that Rui would also stay with the Otori family.

“Where are you staying then? As far as I know, there is no family closer to yours other than the Otori.”

“And you stand correct, but not long after we sent a confirmation letter, I received an invitation from the imperial family to spend this season at the palace, as we rarely attend such events.”

Mizuki whistled at that, impressed for no real reason in Rui's opinion. Nene hummed understandingly, knowing full well that it would be disrespectful to refuse such an exclusive invitation.

“Don't make that face now, Mizuki, you will come with me to the palace after all.” He finished with a smirk, making his friend almost gasp.

“I will?!”

“Of course, you came as a servant of the Kamishiro family, and I'll need people I trust during my stay. Besides, Nene is already familiar with the servants of the Otori, she will be in good hands.”

“Yes, please take care of Rui during this time, especially in his choice of clothes; we don't want him to be embarrassed.”

“Don't you get tired of defaming my style?!” He exclaimed dramatically with a false tone of offense.

“Not really.” They responded humored, without hesitation.

“Well then, don’t be hiding behind me at every event we go to together.” He teased back, smiling without malice, and the three of them laughed together.

Rui just hoped that his experience during the season would be as smooth as that interaction.

With determined steps that echoed through the palace corridor, the prince walked towards his sister's room. Due to all the preparations for the social season, Tsukasa had been so busy that he barely had time to see Saki during these last few days, and unfortunately he still had things to attend to.

“Saki?”

Tsukasa gently knocked on his sister's bedroom door, waiting a few seconds without receiving a response. He tried again.

“Saki? Are you there?”

No response again, which had Tsukasa worried. It's been years since the last time people tried to assassinate the heirs to the throne, but that didn't mean they could let their guard down in peacetime. Not that Tsukasa didn't trust Shiho's skills, but an accident like that one could always happen again.

“Saki, excuse me, I'm coming in!”

He shouted before opening the door that luckily wasn't locked, rushing into his sister's room and seeing the scene of Saki laughing with Ichika and Honami, peppering light kisses on Shiho’s cheeks, who was wearing her usual knight's uniform, but being kept pinned to the bed by the other three girls. Tsukasa sighed in relief upon seeing that Saki's lack of response was only due to distraction.

They are such good friends . He thought innocently, shedding an invisible tear of fondness.

The girls finally noticed Tsukasa's presence in the room, quickly straightening up in bed, slightly red from being caught in such a private moment.

“B-brother?! Why didn't you knock on the door?”

“I knocked, but you didn't answer and I got worried. Sorry to barge in like that.”

By this time Shiho, Ichika and Honami had already gotten out of bed, gracefully waiting beside Saki still sitting on the bed, her dress now crumpled and her hair slightly messed up.

“A-anyway, please forget what you saw.”

“There's nothing to be ashamed of, Saki! I think it's beautiful to see how your friendship remains as strong as ever!”

Ichika choked at this, resulting in a confused and worried look from Tsukasa as Honami promptly offered her a glass of water.

“Haha, yes! Friendship!” Saki forced a laugh, looking at her girlfriends in disbelief before clearing her throat and finally getting to her feet.

“Well then, why did you come here at this time, Tsukasa?” Shiho spoke up, trying to save Saki from further embarrassment, which worked as the prince quickly dropped the subject and struck a pose.

“Saki has the dress inspection for the birthday ball now, doesn't she? Since I was on the way, I decided to escort you there before I go on with my schedule.”

Saki was about to agree, but Honami smoothly intervened.

“Actually, you said you would leave that for later, as the heir to the northern duchy is due to arrive soon and your parents want you to welcome him.”

“Ah! That's true!"

“He arrives today?!” Tsukasa also exclaimed.

“Yes, and I forgot as well. I need to get ready!”

“But you look adorable, Saki!”

“As much as I appreciate your praise, dear brother, this dress is not appropriate for an occasion like this. Please excuse us!"

She was pushing her brother towards the door with the help of her ladies-in-waiting, who laughed apologetically in his direction until they closed the door in the prince's face. More laughter was heard from the other side of the door and Tsukasa just sighed, smiling affectionately, leaving them alone and walking away. He would check arrangements for the Duke's son's accommodation in the meantime; it was the least he could do, since he forgot to leave some free time to welcome him and wouldn't be present with Saki.

The stop at the Otori manor was brief; Rui and Mizuki accompanied Nene to greet the Otori family while servants carried Nene's luggage into the residence. Emu was momentarily upset to know that Rui would not be staying with them, and the nobleman almost relented and stayed for afternoon tea when she asked him with her shining eyes; but unfortunately he couldn't risk tarnishing his image by arriving late at the palace, so Rui reluctantly said goodbye to the two girls, waving out the window as he set off once more in the carriage.

“It will be fine, don't worry.” Comforted Mizuki.

“I know that, I worry more about how I will survive in the palace during this time.” He said, sighing and sinking deeper into the padded carriage seat.

“Hey, I'll be with you, won't I?”

“Yes, but you know how strict etiquette is around here at this time of the year.”

“As long as there are no witnesses, we can just ignore them~” As if it was easy to stay away from the keen eyes of society in the Capital.

“Are you going to put up with my constant complaining, Mizuki?”

“I've been doing this for years.” They chuckled.

Half an hour later, the carriage passed through the palace gates, the lush surroundings being similar to the Kamishiro estate in the north, but hotter than he was used to. They stopped in front of a large staircase, flowers decorated the walkway along with several lined up guards, and at the end was waiting who Rui supposed to be the princess and her ladies-in-waiting.

So grandly unnecessary. Rui would understand if all this pomp was prepared for his parents' arrival, but this time it was just him. Perhaps Rui underestimated the importance of his position as heir outside the north.

Rui got out of the carriage when the coachman opened the door for him, quickly checking his appearance before walking towards the top of the stairs with Mizuki right behind him. Arriving at the princess's presence, he gracefully bowed to her, accepting her outstretched hand and placing a light kiss just above the back of her hand as a sign of greeting and politeness. He could be eccentric, but Rui knew all the rules of etiquette very well.

“Nice to meet you, Lord Rui, I hope you had a pleasant trip.”

“The pleasure is mine, Your Highness. Despite my lack of custom, the trip was not turbulent.”

Rui deftly deflected his answer, as he would be lying if he said the trip was a pleasant one. His legs were almost numb, his body crying out for some rest after hours on this last day of travel.

“These are my ladies-in-waiting; Lady Ichika Hoshino, Lady Honami Mochizuki, and my personal knight, Dame Shiho Hinomori.”

The three greeted him with a brief 'pleasure' and a slight bow. Rui recognized the last names, indicating that they all came from noble families, but nothing unexpected considering that they must have been the closest people to the princess. Like a good gentleman, Rui bowed to the three of them as well.

“I thank you for your hospitality, Your Highness, it was not necessary to organize all this for my arrival.”

“It was the least we had to do for the heir of the north; I hope everything is to your liking, my brother was the one who took care of your accommodation.”

The prince huh ? Rui met him once when they were kids, back when Rui was still interested in interacting with more people; but it had been so long that he barely remembered what the prince looked like, currently only having information acquired through portraits and news.

“Should we await his arrival?”

“Hm, he should have been here by now, but maybe something urgent came up.” She commented thoughtfully, questioning her ladies with a look, but they didn't know anything either. “In that case, why don't you join me for a quick tour around the palace while the servants move your luggage to your room?"

It wasn't as if Rui had a choice, it would be extremely rude to refuse a personal invitation from the princess, and it's not as if he was going to be able to rest until they finished loading his things.

“I would love to, Your Highness.”

Saki smiled happily and guided them through the different corridors and paths in the palace, telling him several random and historical facts about the place, the animation evident in her voice for talking about her beloved home. Rui sincerely expected the worst from that tour, but it actually turned out to be something he truly enjoyed. Saki's excitement was infectious, the way she carried herself and casually chatted with her ladies reminded Rui of his own carefree attitude towards Nene and Mizuki.

At one point, the princess's steps faltered for an instant, Dame Shiho quickly supported her without difficulty, and everyone stopped, worried about Saki's condition. The princess, in turn, laughed lightly and balanced on her own feet again.

“Your Highness? Are you okay?” Rui asked.

“Sorry for the scare, I must have gone a little overboard with my physical activities today.”

Rui wanted to say anything, but without any suitable and comforting words in his mind, there was only silence left. Shiho let Saki be as soon as she confirmed that she was fine, but stayed close as a precaution.

“You must be aware of my condition, right? But I'm already much better than I was then, so there's no need to worry, Lord Rui!”

Ah yes, the unfortunate incident during the prince and princess's childhood. Even though it was a few years after the end of the war, the imperial family still had many enemies across the land. One day, Prince Tsukasa was called by his parents before meeting Saki for their afternoon tea, who stated that she didn't need to wait for him to get started. The princess, following her brother's suggestion, ended up drinking poisoned tea, which seriously affected her already fragile body, and made her fall sick. The infiltrated traitors were appropriately caught and punished with death, but Princess Saki fell into ill health and had to remain recluse in the palace away from the public for some years.

“I believe your words, Your Highness. But it would be better if we stopped here, so you can rest up for tonight's opening ball."

Rui commented thoughtfully, Saki opened her mouth to protest, but her ladies-in-waiting intervened first.

“Lord Kamishiro is right, Saki. Didn't you want to dance tonight?” Ichika was the first to speak.

“Yes but-”

“Then you have to rest. Otherwise, we'll tell Tsukasa and he'll make a fuss as usual.”

Shiho said seriously, and Saki made an indignant sound. “You wouldn't do that to me, would you, Shiho?!”

The dame didn't say anything else, just looking at her seriously with her arms crossed, a posture of total determination. Saki sighed in defeat and finally remembered that she was in Rui's presence, quickly returning to her princess posture.

“Well, then I suppose we part ways here.”

“Thank you for the tour, Your Highness. I would love to repeat this walk with you at some other time.”

“I would be glad to! I still want you to tell me more about your creations, Lord Rui.”

“It's a promise.”

He said one last time before bowing to each other in farewell, Saki walking the way they came and Rui following the corridor to the doors that connected to his chambers during his stay there. The last thing he heard in the background was Lady Honami's voice saying something about a delicious apple pie that was waiting for them in the princess's quarters.

He unceremoniously opened the doors, knowing full well that the time he spent walking around with Saki was more than enough for everything to be in place, and went straight to the adjacent door in the living room that gave him access to the room with the bed, throwing himself into it with a sigh.

Mizuki soon followed, closing the main door and standing in the living room with their arms crossed, looking at Rui face down on the bed in the other room. They sighed, already used to it, approaching the other to get his attention.

“You won't have much time to rest, the opening ball is tonight, and you really need to be dressed appropriately for it.”

Rui just mumbled something with a suffering tone, not wanting to move an inch out of bed. Oh well, Mizuki could give him at least an hour of rest before starting preparations.

Soon the night approached, and the time for the start of the ball as well. As part of the tradition, the opening ball of the season is always organized by the imperial family in the palace, and all the nobles are invited to attend. As it is the first ball, close allied families arrived together, so before going to the ballroom, even though he was already in the palace, Rui would have to pick up Nene at the Otori residence with the carriage from the north so that they could present themselves together for the other nobles, making their presence official in that season.

“Okay, that should do it.” Mizuki said, pulling away from Rui to admire their work with the choice of clothes.

His particular fashionista made a point of choosing absolutely every piece of clothing he should wear, taking into account the colors of the Kamishiro family crest. Starting with tight black pants and a black shirt with puffed sleeves that fastened at his wrist with cuffs decorated with gold buttons. Mizuki also selected a white vest with gold and black accents, displaying beautiful arabesque patterns that adorned the entire surface in a refined manner. However, they knew it would be too simple to wear just that, so the stylist decided to add a long half cape in shades of purple, with gold details and chains. Two cyan blue roses were pinned to his chest on the cape, along with a gold version of the family crest, and a white cravat with an aquamarine brooch placed over the top. To top it off, Mizuki picked white high boots, which complemented the outfit perfectly.

“Thank you for your service, Mizuki.” He said honestly, despite the time it took to get ready.

"Always a pleasure. I know you don't like to have your hair handled, so I'll let you decide what to do with it.”

He nodded and decided to comb his bangs to one side and collect the longest part of his hair in a small, low ponytail. While Mizuki put the last accessories on their own look, Rui took the opportunity to touch up his basic makeup before looking back in the mirror and nodding to himself when he confirmed that everything was perfect. Mizuki appeared from their own room shortly after, looking as fabulous as ever.

“Ready to go?”

He nodded, and the two left the palace towards the Otori manor. Arriving there, Nene was already ready, waiting with Emu and her siblings.

“I wish I could enter together with Nene and Rui…” The pink haired girl said sadly, making Nene smile at her affectionately.

“Don't worry, we can go to the other parties together without any problem.”

“And it's not like you're going to arrive much later than us, Emu.” Rui added and Emu smiled happily, nodding.

"Yes! I can't wait!”

After briefly saying goodbye to Emu, they re-entered the carriage bearing the northern crest. Rui helped Nene up and they soon left for the palace. During the journey, Rui couldn't help but compliment his childhood friend on the beautiful dress she was wearing; the light layered fabric resembled a delicate pale blue anemone, with white accents and intricately embellished small emeralds; the chosen accessories elegantly matched the dress, creating a harmonious ensemble. Although they hadn't previously talked about it, their outfits complemented each other perfectly (perhaps Mizuki had actually coordinated outfits with Nene without him knowing), the end result was a delightful combination.

“Ready for the night?” Mizuki asked a few minutes before they arrived, and Nene looked a little nervous.

“Not much, but now there's no turning back.”

“Indeed… I'll try to stay close to you and Emu, but I can’t make any promises, I could very well end up being dragged by someone in the middle of everything.”

Rui said and laughed equally nervously, the last exchange of words they had before they stopped at the grand staircase and the coachman opened the carriage door so they could get out. Supporting Nene, holding her delicately by one hand, they proceeded to the entrance with Mizuki behind, and gave their names to be announced to the ballroom.

“Announcing the arrival of Lord Rui Kamishiro, of the Northern Duchy; and Lady Nene Kusanagi, of the Northern County.”

The servant said aloud to everyone present as they passed through the double doors, pausing briefly in place to register the hall already filled with other nobles, who immediately stopped to watch the new arrivals. Rui gave Nene's hand an encouraging squeeze and guided her to where the Emperor and Empress sat on their lofty thrones, doing a practiced bow with everyone's eyes on them.

“We, representatives of the north, greet Your Imperial Majesties. May them be blessed with health and prosperity.”

They said in unison, rising again after the appropriate time. They were graced by the peaceful and happy expressions of the rulers.

“We are delighted that you have finally decided to join us, Lord Rui! I see that Lady Nene has finally convinced you to come. It's been a long time since we last saw you.” The empress was the first to speak in a sweet tone; her gray hair denounced her age and the stresses she had been through, but she luckily appeared healthy.

“ I apologize for being absent all these years, my parents must have mentioned how I am not used to social events like this.”

“Don't worry about it, young man. Better late than never, right? Please enjoy your first social season; Lady Nene has already been present in some, so she can guide you through the activities we carry out.”

The emperor said brightly and cheerfully, signaling with his hands to the hall in order for them to enjoy the ball and to give way to the next nobles who were announced at the entrance, probably Emu and her family. Rui and Nene smiled politely and bowed one last time before heading off to some corner of the room and finally feeling like they could breathe again.

“Could be worse. They are more casual than I imagined.” Rui commented, taking a glass of champagne from a servant and discreetly observing the room; several nobles still looking at them and eager to strike up a conversation, but still too afraid to approach.

“They've always been like that, I wasn't worried about that.” Nene responded by doing the same as him, waiting anxiously for Emu to finish her entry. “You are aware that most people looking at us are just waiting for an opportunity to talk to you, right?”

Rui smiled apprehensively, sipping his glass without answering. He already imagined that his unprecedented participation would draw attention, but he didn't imagine that much, so he could only pray mentally that people would remain shy of approaching him. Unfortunately, his peace didn't last long, as Emu soon appeared to greet them again and pulled Nene to dance with her on the floor, leaving Rui alone.

Murmurs were heard around him, some people discreetly trying to approach him. Rui drank the entire contents of his glass at once and scanned the hall in search of Mizuki, who had disappeared shortly after they greeted the rulers. He soon spotted they chatting happily with a girl with short brown hair and a ginger boy beside her who seemed to be complaining about something, accompanied by whom he vaguely recognized as Toya Aoyagi, who just smiled softly at the trio.

Rui didn't have the heart to interrupt the conversation between them, not when Mizuki looked so happy to see them again, he would ask they later where they knew each other. Then inevitably, nobles unknown to him started to surround him and strike up several conversations with him, Rui doing his best to answer everyone politely and holding back his will to just run away from there.

“I always wanted to meet you, Lord Rui-”

“Are you going to stay for the whole season?-”

“You still haven’t found a suitor, right?-”

“Please allow me to invite you to the tea party I'm organizing next week-”

So much noise, so many people talking to him. To his delight, the music stopped and everyone stopped to watch the prince and princess arrive at the top of the royal staircase.

The imperial siblings radiated elegance in their impeccable attire; Saki looked stunning in a flowing dress, delicately embellished in shades of blue, white, and gold. Her brother, on the other hand, wore formal attire that matched hers perfectly; the same hues of blue, white, and gold were harmoniously incorporated into his garment, complemented by a majestic cape that billowed gracefully behind him. Together, they descended the staircase with majesty and were warmly received by their parents, who embraced them smiling full of affection.

The interaction did not last long, and soon they separated from their parents so that they could return to greet the nobles who still arrived. Saki immediately identified Rui in the crowd, not that it was too difficult considering the nobles were still surrounding him in a circle, keeping him in the center. The princess happily walked towards him, and the crowd immediately parted, no one daring to block royalty.

“Lord Rui, I hope you managed to get enough rest.” She said honestly and Rui greeted her as he had before, with a short bow.

“I should ask you that instead, Your Highness, if you feel well after exhausting yourself during our tour.”

“Thank you for your concern, I assure you that I am fine~”

Saki responded radiantly as before, and the prince was soon present at her side, the same expression of cheer on his face. Rui didn't remember the prince, but his impression at that moment was that he really lived up to the rumors that he was bright as the sun, automatically attracting anyone's gaze.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Rui! Forgive me for my absence on your arrival, I was busy with appointments.” The prince said in a naturally loud voice that surprisingly didn't bother Rui's ears.

“Don't worry about it, it's not like my arrival is that important.”

“Still, it was inelegant of me to leave my sister alone to welcome you.” The prince insisted.

“You say that, but I had no problem with it, brother. Besides, Lord Rui and I had a pleasant conversation while I showed him around the palace.” Saki intervened with her cheeks puffed out in pride adorably, causing the prince to pat her head affectionately.

“If you say so, I’m happy, Saki.”

A brief conversation about Rui's stay at the palace with the prince and a promise of a dance with Saki afterward, the siblings left him alone again to greet the other guests. Almost immediately after that, giving Rui time to just grab one of the appetizers being served, nobles again surrounded him for conversation and dancing.

He wasn't used to these social activities.

It's not that he was antisocial to the point of isolating himself from everyone and everything if he could. Rui in fact likes to chat, but with his friends and parents, not with a bunch of strangers who cared not for him as a person but him as an heir.

In the end the night was long and tiring for Rui. He made time to dance once with Nene, Emu, and Saki each, it being one of the few moments he could rest and breathe a little; but right after, the moment he was once again alone, a tide of people came to him, and they didn't stop talking, not giving him a minute of peace. Could Rui really survive until the end of the social season in the Capital this way?

No. Rui would not survive nearly 3 months of these kinds of interactions and events.

The ball lasted approximately four hours, the clock marked eleven o'clock at night and Rui was absolutely exhausted lying on his bed. As soon as he could leave the hall without seeming rude, Rui ran away accompanied by Mizuki (Nene was going to return with the Otori, so she stayed longer), who said goodbye to him at the entrance to his room. 

As soon as he closed the doors of his chambers, Rui immediately took off as many pieces of clothing as he could and jumped on the soft bed. Having a few minutes of rest before going to bathe before sleeping. He felt bad that he still hadn't been able to appreciate the accommodations that had been arranged for him, but his weariness spoke louder.

There were so many people all over him during the ball that Rui was barely able to enjoy conversations that genuinely interested him (few during the whole night). So no, he wouldn't survive like that. Rui needed to do something, find any solution to ease the suffocation he felt, without seeming like a person without manners. God forbids him to make any mistake that ends up embarrassing the north.

It was then during his relaxing bath, while brainstorming possibilities to avoid so much social interaction, that Rui came up with a brilliant and ingenious idea. Alright, it wasn't the best idea he'd ever had, but it was his best choice at the moment, and if all went well then he could have a much smoother stay in the Capital.

He only needed the collaboration of a single person.

The next day, Rui's schedule already set an appointment for the afternoon, but luckily he still had a few free hours until then, and the first thing he would do was have his breakfast with the prince and princess. To his surprise, when he arrived in the dining room, only Saki and her ladies were sitting at the long table.

“Good morning, my ladies.” He greeted and sat down in one of the free chairs parallel to Saki.

“Good morning, Lord Rui.” Saki said first, the others soon greeted him as well before returning to their own breakfasts.

“I hope you had a nice sleep.” Rui continued.

The table was full of different options for him to choose from, but Rui opted for a variety of bread that he liked and some pates to go with it, topped off with a cup of tea. He wasn't the type to eat a lot, especially in the morning.

“Well, when I retired for the night I was still a little fussy from the ball, so it took me a while to fall properly asleep.” Saki answered honestly with a smile, as expected, Rui showing a slight smile of his own. He wondered how the princess had so much energy.

“It's not often that we have a ball like this, you'd think this would happen.” Ichika commented from her chair, chuckling softly and passing a Parmesan bread to Shiho.

“Good thing I have you guys to help me sleep when I need it.” Saki said in agreement, making her ladies blush slightly, casting somewhat nervous glances in Rui's direction, but he paid no mind.

“Don't forget we're not alone today, Saki.” Honami scolded her in the soft tone a mother would use, helping herself to another piece of apple pie.

“But Honaaa” She extended the name adorably, “It's not like we're trying to hide it.”

“Is your brother the prince not going to join us?” Rui interrupted.

"Oh, he has morning practice, so he eats his breakfast earlier. He apologizes for not being with us.”

“Perfect.”

Rui said in an excited tone, making the others in the hall look at him confused with the choice of word for that information. Rui clasped his hands under his chin, quickly running his plan through his mind before straightening his posture and looking seriously at Saki.

“Your Highness, I have a proposition for you.”

Something unexpected to hear in that situation, he was sure, watching Shiho and Honami eye him now suspiciously. Saki apparently didn't take that in the negative, putting on a calm, serious semblance. "Oh? I'm all ears.”

He cleared his throat, the same way he does when he goes to explain to Nene the safety measures he took during the construction of some invention before testing them.

“Both you and I hold high positions in society, yes? And because of that we are often surrounded by people.” He started, and Saki made a sign for him to continue. “I noticed that you enjoy the events, but not the social commitment you have to make in paying attention to everyone, often preventing you from enjoying the festivities to the fullest.”

Clear evidence of this was Saki's brief comment during their dance, where the princess said in a sad tone that she still hadn't had time to dance with her ladies-in-waiting. Saki was so engaged in different conversations that she was barely able to enjoy herself.

“Indeed, this happens often. Yesterday Ichika, Honami and Shiho looked so beautiful, but I only got to dance once with Honami…” The disappointment was genuine in her voice, the comment making Ichika nearly choke on her tea.

“S-Saki, let's not talk about this in front of Lord Rui-”

“It doesn’t bother me.”

“That's not the problem-” Shiho tried to interrupt, but Rui was determined to make his proposal.

"Anyway. I would also like to be able to enjoy the events of this season in my own way, especially since it is my first time. And after pondering for long minutes, I came to a solution.”

Finally, the moment everyone has been waiting for. Everyone in the room followed Rui's dramatic pause.

“And what would that solution be?” Saki broke the silence, curious.

“Let's pretend to court!”

The enthusiasm in his voice for his witty solution didn't parallel the confused and bewildered expressions of the girls in front of him. Clearly they didn't quite follow his line of reasoning.

“Why would that be a solution?” Saki asked, and Rui made a sign for her not to worry.

“You see, you are the only princess of this empire, and I am heir to a dukedom. With our positions, wouldn’t we be considered an ‘ideal couple’ in the eyes of society?” He argued, and understanding slowly dawned on the faces of all four.

“Indeed, it would be the most important courtship in a long time.” Ichika started and Rui nodded.

“A courtship where no one could compete against Lord Rui or Saki due to their social status…” Honami continued and Rui nodded even more intensely.

“Everyone would be forced to make room for the courtship, or risk being responsible for the possible failure of a relationship between the two.” Shiho concluded and Rui got up from the table with an impulse, making his chair scratch the floor with his enthusiasm that they understood his idea.

“Exactly, my ladies! And absolutely no one at court wants to carry such fame, or they would be blacklisted by high society.”

Saki also got up from the table with equally excited eyes, already convinced by Rui's idea.

“That way we can both enjoy the events with more peace of mind! Let's do this, Lord Rui!”

Saki extended her hand towards Rui, and before her ladies-in-waiting could say anything, Rui grabbed the princess's hand, shaking it and signing the verbal agreement.

“Worry not, we will help each other and benefit from it.”

“Well, since Saki agreed to it, it's not like she's going to give up on the idea now…” Shiho sighed heavily.

“I like your excitement, but I think only one detail escaped your mind, Saki.” It was Honami who said it, and everyone turned to look at her apprehensively for the answer.

“A detail?”

“Your brother Tsukasa, of course.”

There was a collective exasperated 'ah' in the room.

Chapter Text

Freedom! Shouted Tsukasa in his mind as he left his office in the palace.

After days of planning all the festivities that would take place in the palace for the next few months, Tsukasa was finally done with everything and could join the other nobles for the social activities of the season. After all, a star like him was essential for that kind of festive atmosphere!

Checking the clock and his schedule once more, Tsukasa confirmed that he still had time to get ready for the Momoi family matinée which started in half an hour. His plan now was to ask his sister if she would like to be accompanied by him, since he hasn't gone to events with her since the opening ball four days ago.

“Excuse me, do you know where my sister is right now?”

He asked a few maids passing down the hall carrying cleaning equipment. They bowed in greeting to the prince and answered.

“Princess Saki has just left the palace.” He hummed.

“Too bad she's already gone… Thanks for letting me know.”

They bowed once more and started walking again, talking to each other without caring about the volume of their voices.

“Wasn’t Lord Rui Kamishiro accompanying her today?”

“Well, he's been accompanying her to the festivities since after the opening ball; they seem pretty close.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me if he was courting her, they would be a cute couple!”

It was the last thing Tsukasa heard before they turned down a hallway; the prince not realizing that he had been standing in the same place all this time listening to the conversation of others. But did he hear right? Saki being courted by someone?

No, not just anyone. Rui Kamishiro, heir to the northern dukedom.

Rui Kamishiro, who was never present at any social season and did not know Saki previously .

Something wasn't right. Saki has never taken an interest in the suitors who have presented themselves to her before; and did Rui have true and good intentions for his precious sister? Not that he didn't trust the Kamishiro family, a noble family with a long history of friendship with the imperial family, but Rui's actions were in the least suspicious.

Well, he wouldn't blame him if he said something like 'it was love at first sight' since it was Saki, full of beauty and intelligence, anyone should fall in love with her. But still, Tsukasa couldn't just let any stranger court his sister without knowing their true intentions first, no matter their social standing.

He wouldn't ruin the courtship, but it doesn't hurt to test the suitor before making any final decisions, does it?

“Prepare my carriage daily! Starting today, I will attend every event my sister goes to.”

Tsukasa announced to the servants serving him directly, and left to get ready quickly and leave for the matinée.

The Momoi family's matinée was being held in the gardens of the residence, and on the open-air dance floor, everyone's eyes were on one particular duo. The reason for this was not only because they were the princess and the heir to the dukedom, but also because it was the third song they were dancing to.

“The princess and Lord Kamishiro don't seem closer than usual?”

“They have been dancing together in all the events till now.”

Despite gliding gracefully across the hall, the two dancers' ears were extremely keen.

“It seems the rumors are finally spreading more, Your Highness.”

“I already told you that you can call me Saki, Lord Rui.”

“I could not-”

“I insist.”

“Lady Saki, then.”

Rui smoothly spun her twice, eliciting more murmurs from the people around, and they returned to the rhythm of the waltz.

“If you will allow me, my lord, there is something I am curious about but have not had the opportunity to ask you until now.”

“Please go on.”

“Why didn't you make that proposal to Lady Nene? You are already close.”

Ah yes, it's a valid question as Rui chose to go to Saki first when he could very well count on Nene's help.

“I considered talking to her, but Nene is already courting someone, and I didn't want to stand in their way to enjoy the social season together.” Rui replied in a low voice in case anyone was trying to hear their conversation, no matter how rude it was.

Furthermore, if he were to ask Nene for help, pretending to court would have little credibility, as in the eyes of society it would not make sense for them to leave the north for that as they would believe that the courtship has been going on for some time; so people would expect an engagement announcement, which they definitely wouldn't do.

“How considerate of you.” Saki smiled and nodded at the explanation.

Rui was about to say thank you when the music stopped and the servant's voice announcing someone's arrival resounded through the place.

“Your Imperial Highness, Prince Tsukasa Tenma!”

Everyone turned towards the doorway where the newly arrived prince stood, who carried himself as if he was born to be the center of attention; wearing elegant clothes worthy of royalty but still appropriate for the occasion. Rui looked at Saki for a moment and noticed her slightly surprised expression, probably not expecting her brother to come.

“Saki! I’m sorry for not being able to accompany you to events these past few days.”

Tsukasa was right in front of them. Rui hadn't noticed when Saki had led him off the dance floor and towards the prince. Well, it was most appropriate to greet him as soon as he arrived.

“It’s no problem, brother. Lord Rui was kind enough to accompany me in your place.”

Tsukasa's piercing gaze focused on Rui instantly, staring at him as intently as if he were trying to see into his soul; it was intimidating, even if the prince was shorter than he was.

‘Ah, he must have heard the rumors…’

Rui thought almost immediately, remembering that the look the prince gave him when they first met was much more peaceful and friendly than that.

“Thank you for that, Lord Rui. I hope it wasn't a bother for you.”

“Of course not, Princess Saki is an extremely pleasant company to have.”

In his beautiful performance and reinforcement to make all that acting more gullible, Rui gently took Saki's hand and placed a light kiss on it, making Tsukasa release a sound similar to indignation at his audacity.

“I'll go get us a drink. If you'll excuse me.” Rui bowed to the two of them and hurried off in search of refreshments.

“Saki, what was that?!”

Tsukasa almost screamed, but Saki signed him not to disturb the others.

“Why are you reacting like this, brother? Lord Rui is just being a gentleman.”

He could only sigh deeply and control his reaction, returning to speak in a more normal voice.

“Are the rumors true? Is Lord Rui courting you?”

“Do you need me to confirm for you? You know the etiquette for that well, Tsukasa.”

Yes, of course he did, everyone in high society knows the rules of formal courtship. So the answer to his question could only be positive.

“I just don't understand how it happened so fast.” He sounded haggard.

“We talk a lot more than you know, brother. Now if you'll excuse me, Ichika, Honami and Shiho are calling me~”

And off goes Saki to meet the three of her girlfriends, not caring about her brother's slight mental breakdown.

With the rumors confirmed, Tsukasa would have to follow through with his plan to investigate Rui's intentions before it was too late. The blond took a deep breath and scanned the place looking for the noble, quickly locating him with two glasses of champagne in hand and deftly dodging people in his path towards Saki.

But no matter how skillful he was at dodging others, he couldn't get past Tsukasa, who promptly blocked his path with a wider smile than usual.

“Your Highness, how may I help you?”

Rui said as he forced himself to stop in front of Tsukasa, nervously returning the smile. At that moment, part of the conversation from the day they made the deal came to Rui's mind.

.

“Lady Honami is right, won’t your brother mess up our plan or suspect something?”

Rui asked on that fateful day, and Saki shook her head, her own plan formed in her mind.

“Actually, my brother might even help us when the season is over. It would take him a long time to accept someone courting me, let alone someone he doesn't know well; So at the end of the season, as a justification for not going ahead with the courtship, you can simply say that you were intimidated by him and don't want to strain the North's relationship with the imperial family!”

“It wouldn't affect the relations between our families, right?” He asked just to confirm.

“I do not think so. If anything happens you can come talk to me, we'll keep in touch often after all!~”

.

“Lord Rui?”

Tsukasa's voice brought him back to reality, Rui soon returned to smiling as if he hadn't been lost in thought seconds before.

“I beg your pardon, what did you say?”

Fortunately, the prince didn't seem to mind his lack of attention, and continued to speak in the same tone.

“I asked if you would accompany me for a moment? As I haven't been attending events the last few days, I'd like to make up for lost time and catch up on the news.”

It wasn't a complete lie, and even though Tsukasa knew Rui wouldn't have as much news, it wasn't as if the noble could easily refuse. Rui’s alternative was to try to find another excuse to escape.

“Oh, I would love to, your highness, but the princess is waiting for me.”

Rui tried to sound convincing, slightly raising the glasses in his hand to remind the prince of his previous objective. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, as Tsukasa took one of the glasses from his hand and took a sip.

“Saki is busy dancing with Ichika at the moment. Let's not get in their way, shall we?”

And indeed Rui could see Saki happily dancing with Ichika on the dance floor; and with no more excuse to run away from there, without Nene or Mizuki noticing his protection, Rui obediently followed Tsukasa to some more secluded corner of the place.

“How is your stay in the capital going?” the prince asked as they sat down in two chairs at the table reserved for the imperial family.

“It has been pleasant, I appreciate the imperial family’s hospitality.”

“Only the best for the Kamishiro family.”

After that, neither of them knew exactly what to say. During the awkward silence, Tsukasa tried to think of the best way to solve his doubts without arousing Rui's suspicions; meanwhile Rui thought about how to get away from there, always looking around for someone he knew who could help him.

“Your highness has been busy these past few days, I hope everything went well?” Rui tried to start a conversation just to fill the silence.

“Yes, I've finished organizing the upcoming events at the palace, including Saki's birthday.”

“Right, I look forward to the occasion.” He still had to think of a gift for her. What does a suitor give a princess as a gift?

“I hope you're not thinking of accompanying Saki for her birthday.” The prince said, laughing mirthful, but his eyes weren't that happy.

“Haha, what do you mean by that?” Rui backed up a little in his chair.

“As you have been accompanying her these days, I imagined that at some point you would want to accompany her to an event as important as this one. Unfortunately, such a short courtship would not be enough for that.”

Tsukasa said, still smiling, as if he was joking with a friend, but he was actually paying attention to all of Rui's reactions. It wasn't impossible that a noble heir would have started a courtship so quickly with the princess just to take advantage of her popularity and have the spotlight of high society for himself; perhaps to benefit from agreements or other matters of the kind. If Tsukasa broke Rui's expectations soon, and he still continued to court Saki, well… Then Tsukasa would concede a positive point in Rui's intentions. But it wouldn't be enough to calm him down!

“Don't worry about it, for the birthday ball I will accompany Lady Nene as tradition dictates.”

Tsukasa nodded, but it wasn't enough to trust Rui.

“Are you planning on going to all the events this season?”

“I will go to all I can. I've got to enjoy the festivities, no?”

“But you don’t seem to like these activities that much, Lord Rui.”

His tone held no malice or accusation, but the nobleman couldn't help but frown a little, taking a defensive posture and for the first time wanting to actually confront the prince directly. Of course, he couldn't do that, so he held back for the moment.

“Are you insinuating something, Your Highness?”

Tsukasa must have noticed the slight change in Rui's expression, as the blond expressed a genuinely apologetic smile.

“Only that having a familiar face close at hand can help you with that.”

“Certainly, that’s why Lady Ne—”

“Then you have nothing to worry about, I will make sure to keep you company for the rest of the season!”

Tsukasa's words were as if someone was forcing Rui to eat the vegetables he hated so much, undercooked with a rubbery texture that left a bitter taste in his mouth. Was that some kind of threat? A message that Tsukasa was keeping an eye on him, forcing him into interactions like that? Oh dear, if this continues Rui will need to talk to Saki about it.

“A toast! To the festivities!"

The prince's voice interrupted his inner rant, and he looked at Tsukasa raising his cup to him expectantly.

“Yes, a toast…”

He also rose in false spirits without having a choice, downing the entire contents of the glass in one go, praying that the alcohol would calm him down.

It didn’t.

That kind of scene repeated itself for the next two days, with Tsukasa keeping his word and always after Rui, watching him closely, even in Saki's presence. When he wasn't around, Rui could feel Tsukasa's gaze coming from somewhere in the hall. If he was really watching? Rui would only know if he looked, but he didn't want to appear as paranoid as he was. Composure is important.

At the soirée of a noble family whose name he couldn't remember, Rui was in one of his rare moments of tranquility, as the prince was busy dancing with Saki to pay attention to him. He even tried to find familiar faces to talk to in the meantime, but unfortunately Mizuki was again talking to some friends, and both Nene and Emu were missing from the main hall; he was left with the company of Saki's ladies-in-waiting.

“So, Lord Rui, are you enjoying this season?” Honami asked from his side, she probably sensed his agitation.

“It's certainly calmer than before. The courtship rumor has already reached most people in high society, so they are having fun with it.”

“Courtships are a favorite subject during social seasons.” Ichika commented, and Rui couldn't help but let out a tired grunt.

“I see courtships really bother you.” Laughed Honami.

“People are just so focused on courtship, it's seriously tiring.”

“Well, it's called the social season for a reason. There's no better moment to meet other people and find true love.” Ichika's voice was dreamy, and for a moment, Rui thought of asking about the story of the relationship between the four girls; but unfortunately their current location prevented him from proceeding with the subject he desired.

“If only they all had such good intentions as yourself, my lady. But no, they are after the prestige of my family name.”

His neutral mood quickly soured as he recalled most of the interactions he'd had in the capital. Fake compliments, people who had no interest in what he said or liked, just pretending. And all for what? Status? Material possessions? Rui didn't understand why someone would want to waste their life with someone they didn't really like.

“I'm sure someday you'll be courted by someone you truly care for, my lord.”

He laughed silently in disbelief at Honami's words. Where would he find someone who liked him like that? Even in the north, people don't get very close to him, although they always treat him with respect.

“I don't think anyone would genuinely want a relationship with me, my lady.”

“Never say never, the empire is pretty big.” His parents say the same thing.

“I don't plan on leaving the north much, I prefer to focus on my research and studies, at least I know my inventions are possible rather than romance.”

Ichika looked at Honami and Shiho with some concern for the negativity, but neither of them had anything else to say about it; Shiho shrugging and Honami just shaking her head. Rui was as stubborn as the prince, and they weren't intimate enough with him to try to give him some kind of extra encouragement or advice.

Speaking of the prince, he soon approached the quartet with Saki, noticing the crestfallen and slightly tense atmosphere between them. Saki took the initiative, smiling in an attempt to cheer everyone up, something that usually worked; but once again the crowd of people and their gazes that awaited any kind of failure on his part were suffocating Rui.

“Something wrong, my lord?” She asked lower than usual, and even Tsukasa looked worried about his missing smile.

“No, don't worry, Your Highness. I'm just tired.”

Nobody seemed very convinced, and Ichika and Honami wondered if maybe the chosen subject was something Rui was sensitive about. But even before anyone said anything, Rui finally spotted Nene in the crowd, who was even coming towards him. Perfect.

“Sorry to spoil the festive mood. It seems that Lady Nene is looking for me, so I will retire early. Your Highnesses, my ladies.”

Rui said politely with a practiced smile, bowing once to those present and quickly walking away to meet Nene halfway. She stopped in her tracks, looking at him slightly concerned; Rui just kept smiling so as not to worry her.

“It's just tiredness, I haven't gotten used to it all yet.” Nene accepted his excuse.

“In that case, let's go together. I'm already exhausted too.”

“But what about Emu?”

“She already said goodbye to me, I insisted that she stay a little longer as she seemed to be having fun with Lady Haruka.”

“Since that is the case, allow me to escort you to the Otori residence.”

Rui offered her an arm and Nene accepted. Mizuki, seeing the scene from afar, quickly went to accompany them; and then together they withdrew from the soirée with the eyes of nobles behind them. Only when they entered the carriage could they sigh loudly and tiredly, remaining silent for a few minutes before Mizuki spoke first.

“Too overwhelming for you?” They nodded and Mizuki showed some pity for the two.

“Yes, and we're still in the second week of the season…” Nene mumbled with her face buried in her hands.

“Why don't you set aside tomorrow to rest and not go to any events?”

“I can't, I promised I would accompany Princess Saki to Lady Hanasato's afternoon tea.”

A pause, as they hadn't touched on the subject of rumors before. Rui totally forgot that Nene and Mizuki were also present at all the events so far to witness his interactions with the princess. Nene slowly lifted her face, returning to her normal posture.

“You know, I actually have another matter to talk to you about, that's why I was looking for you.” She started, like someone approaching a skittish cat that might bolt at any moment.

“Yes, me too. A lot of conversations in high society involve you nowadays, you know?~”

If Nene was trying to get close to a scared cat, then Mizuki was chasing a cornered rabbit. Rui swallowed hard, already putting together the explanation for his actions in his mind. Nene finally asked the question he had been waiting for.

“So, when were you going to tell us that you decided to court the princess?”

Would it be better for him to tell the truth or lie?…

Chapter Text

Rui groaned and rolled over in bed, trying to convince his body to go back to sleep; but his attempt failed as his conscience warned him about his commitment to Saki and the day's events, forcing him to finally sit up on the bed.

Wiping the sand from his eyes with one hand and covering a yawn with the other, Rui spent a few seconds blinking and absorbing the light that entered lightly between the curtains. His room was luxurious, not much different from his room in the north, just a lot cleaner and without all his inventions and trinkets lying around. Because of this, servants were not allowed to touch his room except when asked by him.

The palace servants in his service during his stay also had no permission to enter his quarters without his permission. If he needed anything, he could just pull a rope in his room and someone would come; but as he was sticking to the imperial family routine, servants were rarely required other than to run his bath or tidy his room while he was away.

On that particular day, Rui was feeling extra tired. Maybe it was because of the conversation he had yesterday that made him remember things from his childhood, or maybe it was because he had to explain his situation to Nene and Mizuki.

Speaking of which, Rui ended up telling Nene and Mizuki the truth. He would never hide anything from his only two childhood friends, and if they knew that he considered lying, he would certainly get scolded. Mizuki's reaction was predictable, they first looked at him in disbelief for his “solution” and then laughed for a good few minutes; Nene, on the other hand, just looked at him disappointed but not surprised, making her opinion clear that she thought it was too risky and could end up bringing unwanted consequences for Rui. In the end, despite the teasing and scolding, Nene and Mizuki only wanted the best for Rui, so they promised to keep it a secret and try to help him when needed.

Stretching once, Rui finally got out of bed, opening the windows and letting light bathe his room completely. He had the servants bring his breakfast to the living room of his chambers, wanting to revel in the morning's silence and peace a little before attending to the day's activities with others.

Rui chose his clothes for the day and received Mizuki's approval before they left for some training after having already eaten their own breakfast, leaving the nobleman once again alone to do whatever he wanted in his spare time. Unfortunately, without any of his tools or inventions with him, he had to content himself with exploring one of the bookcases in his room in search of some work that would attract his attention, as he didn't know exactly how to get to the imperial library and didn't want to ask someone to guide him there.

Apparently, someone had notified those in charge of the preparation of his quarters of his reading preferences, as the bookshelf was filled with some of his favorite works of fiction and interesting analyzes of researchers and their views on emerging technologies in the empire.

The nobleman was so entertained that he barely noticed the hours passing, and soon Mizuki knocked on his door and entered without much ceremony, making Rui put his book aside and questioning them with his eyes as to why they were there. Mizuki laughed, already knowing he had lost track of time.

“Did you forget that afternoon tea party? Let's go, or you'll be late to meet the princess.”

Rui checked the clock on the wall to confirm the time and widened his eyes, jumping to his feet and making sure he looked presentable before leaving his room and walking in a hurry to the palace entrance, where Saki should be waiting for him as usual.

“Sorry for the delay, Lady Saki! I got distracted while reading-” He said breathlessly when he finally arrived.

“Lady Saki? Are you two that close already?”

Tsukasa's voice greeted him, and Rui quickly straightened up, looking at him surprised to see the prince without the company of his sister or her ladies.

“Your Highness? Where is the princess?”

“Saki is not feeling well. I'm afraid she's been a little overactive in her activities these past few days, so she'll rest for a while until she's fully recovered. Her ladies-in-waiting will also stay with her during this time, so don't worry.”

“I hope she recovers quickly then… But then, Your Highness, why are you here? Surely some servant could have communicated that to me.”

“Oh, well…”

.

“Brother, I know it's a bit unusual, but could you do me a favor?”

Saki was lying on her bed, her brother beside her checking her temperature, while Honami cooled the soup and Ichika wrung out a damp cloth to try to bring down Saki’s fever.

“But of course, Saki! Ask me anything and I'll do it!" He struck an exaggerated pose, making Saki giggle slightly. Tsukasa always tried hard to make his sister smile during their childhood when she was sick.

“Please accompany Lord Rui in my place.”

“Hah?! Not that I won't do what you want, but why do you ask for it?”

“Perhaps I realize it better now that we're ah- courting…  But he's kind of lonely. When we're all together, he rarely initiates conversation, as if he's afraid to be a nuisance.”

Typical of Saki to worry about others even when she’s sick. But thinking about the times they were together during the events, Rui really was quiet most of the time listening to Saki, him and the others talking, only occasionally adding a comment. Tsukasa also remembered a comment that Emu made with him at one of the soirées; that although she had known Rui for a long time, he didn't get closer on his own even though he looked truly happy with her presence.

“Well, since it is my dearest sister's request!~ Even if I’m not close to Lord Rui, I will accompany him for you.”

“You should stop thinking of him as my suitor and try to get to know him as a friend. I think you two would get along, so stop trying to intimidate him, brother!” She still had enough strength to scold him like that even in that state, his sister was really amazing.

“I don't think you're correct on this one, Saki. But for you, I shall try.”

.

“Saki asked me to accompany you, and since we were invited to the same events, why not?”

“Since that's what Princess Saki wants… After you, Your Highness.”

They followed the schedule and entered the carriage, following the path to the Hanasato manor, a family that holds the title of a barony. The journey wasn't long, but for the two inside the carriage it took forever, with only a few timid comments here and there. Mizuki didn't know whether to laugh or cry with those interactions; they could barely hear what was happening inside the carriage from their seat next to the coachman, since it would be impolite for someone with their title to enter the same carriage as the prince.

Some people seemed surprised to see Rui and Tsukasa without Saki's presence, but they naturally deduced that the princess might not be feeling well enough to come, a common occurrence. Soon, after the usual greetings, people stopped paying much attention to Rui and Tsukasa, not entertained enough as the courtship wouldn't continue without the other person present.

Tsukasa felt slightly indignant at not receiving as much attention as usual, but he would let it slide just for the benefit of being able to watch Rui more calmly, both of them sitting at one of the tables doing exactly what they came to do: drink tea and socialize.

Well, the socializing part maybe not so much as only Lady Shizuku was sitting at their table. The future marchioness was quietly talking to Tsukasa while Rui remained silent, sipping his tea.

“It is a pity that Saki is not here. But since Shiho is with her, I know everything will be fine~”

She said smiling. It was impressive how Shizuku had the ability to calm and rub off her positivity on others with her soft voice. Tsukasa is pleased to know that she has never changed her ways since they were children, and is relieved to know that Shiho has a reliable older sister that she can lean on should anything happen. Not that Shiho would admit it.

“A pity indeed, but she said not to worry, that she will get better in time to go watch the games!”

“Ah, by the way, are you going to participate this year, Tsukasa?~”

“Maybe I will join the fencing demonstration. But just maybe! I don't want to steal all the attention for myself, even though that's what a star does!~ I'll leave room for our knights to have their chance to shine.”

Shizuku seemed to be amused by Tsukasa's manner, used to it even, taking another sip of her tea before looking at Rui with the same docile smile.

“And you, Lord Rui? Are you going to participate in the games too?”

Rui took a moment to register the question asked him, and quickly put his cup on the table so as to not drop it, replying a little flustered.

“I'm afraid not, Lady Shizuku. I'm not good at sports, so I'll just watch.”

It was not something unexpected. Not all nobles practiced some sport or martial art, much less personally participated in the games, preferring to send a representative under their family instead; but Tsukasa expected at least some proficiency of sorts from someone courting Saki, as she enjoyed them.

“Didn’t want to learn any?” The blond questioned.

“I took fencing lessons, and I know the theoretical part, however I just prioritized my academic education.”

He is a Kamishiro after all . Tsukasa would accept and give that point to Rui this time.

“I understand well, Shiho is the one with talent for swordsmanship in my family.”

“No need to be modest, Shizuku! You are one of the best archers in the empire!”

“Really? I will make sure to watch your games then, if you do join.” Rui commented.

“Tsukasa is overreacting, but since it will be Lord Rui's first time attending, I'll do my best!”

Shizuku seemed excited by the idea, Rui internally hoping he didn't put pressure on her; but from what he's heard about Shizuku, she's a focused and determined person, and will do extremely well in the games regardless of who’s present.

The next day Saki was feeling better, but afraid of her getting worse again, her ladies-in-waiting and Tsukasa begged for her to rest for that day as well. And as before, the prince promised to accompany Rui to the events.

The big event that day was the Asahina family ball, organized with so many luxuries and care that it looked like some sort of important celebration, not just another social season ball. Countess Asahina is known for enjoying lavishing her wealth and prestige during social seasons; she would certainly deeply lament Saki's absence.

Both Rui and Tsukasa were wearing elegant clothes in their family's colors to fit for the occasion; and the prince hated to admit it to himself, but Rui was very handsome, especially in those formal clothes.

When they arrived at the ball together, as expected, Countess Asahina promptly met them at the bottom of the stairs, accompanied by her daughter. He had never met her previously, but something about the countess strongly bothered Rui.

Perhaps it was her way of speaking that made her sound condescending and snobbish; perhaps it was how she constantly commented on his social standing, trying to establish some connection between them. Anyway, Rui decided he didn't like her; but the countess seemed not to notice, and hinted that she wanted her daughter to accompany him during the entirety of the ball.

“There’s no need, my lady. I'm sure Lady Mafuyu wants to accompany more interesting people than a nobleman she just met.”

"Nonsense! Mafuyu would be delighted to accompany a future duke; wouldn't you, Mafuyu?~”

“… Yes, mother.” Mafuyu replied, smiling politely, but in Rui's eyes that smile seemed so frigid. She wanted to be there less than he did.

“Besides, it's the best way to get to know each other better, isn't it?” The countess insisted, and Rui didn't know how to refuse anymore, trying to ask Lady Mafuyu for help with his gaze, but she wouldn't go against her own mother and looked elsewhere.

“I'm sorry, my ladies, but I'll have to take your time with Lord Rui tonight. I have matters to discuss with him about… My sister.”

Tsukasa interrupted with his lie, and never once would the countess question the prince's actions, so she just muttered some grief and bowed with her daughter before they withdrew. Rui breathed a sigh of relief when they were far enough apart, and Tsukasa looked at him with understanding in his eyes.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

"It's no problem. I've been through this before, so I know what it's like.”

The blond laughed, and signaled for them to go somewhere more private to talk about it. They walked to an empty balcony, greeting people as they went and picking up glasses of fine liquor being served.

As the crown prince of a vast empire, Tsukasa has already experienced several nobles trying to force relationships with him; unfortunately, almost always involving their children against their wishes. The culmination of it all was the year he turned 18 and everyone decided he was going to pick someone to court that social season. This never happened, as the pressure and suffocation were so great that Tsukasa ended up isolating himself in the palace that year. Since then, with a message of rebuke from the emperor and empress, high society has controlled itself and never again disturbed the prince with such matters so directly.

Tsukasa recalled that at that time, Countess Asahina also tried to do the same thing. Knowing her, who cares so much about high titles of nobility, it was only to be expected that she would try to pair her daughter with a future duke. Not that Rui would know that, of course, so obviously the prince had to do something to save him.

“Don't let that scare you.” The blond said, leaning back on the balcony, sipping his glass.

“The countess is really… something.”

Rui commented, wanting to maintain a neutral position, but his comment only made Tsukasa snort.

“She won't give up that easily. If I were you, I would stay hidden here for the rest of the night.”

“Maybe I'll do that…” Rui said tiredly and leaned forward on the railing, swinging his partially full glass. “You may return to the main hall without me, Your Highness.”

Tsukasa almost nodded and left, but his sister's speech echoed in his mind once more.

“You should stop thinking of him as my suitor and try to get to know him as a friend. I think you two would get along, so stop trying to intimidate him, brother!”

Yes, he had promised Saki. Besides, if Rui’s intentions were indeed good, he would end up in a relationship with his sister, and Tsukasa would like to get along with any partner Saki has.

“Not this time, I need a break as well.”

Silence established itself again, and Rui feared it would soon be filled by a series of direct questions from Tsukasa. However, he was surprised when the prince made no sign of starting to speak, simply drinking his liquor while watching the starry sky with an unusually serene expression, as if he was giving Rui his own time.

“I heard that you were responsible for providing appropriate organization for my chambers in the palace, is that true?”

Rui decided to speak after a few minutes, looking sideways at the smile that Tsukasa did when the word was addressed to him.

"Yes! I hope everything is to your liking.”

“It is, don't worry… But as for the books on the shelves. Were you also the one who chose them?”

Tsukasa nodded, fearing the books weren't to his liking.

“They were great choices, I read a few today. Were my parents the ones who previously informed you about my tastes?”

“Not really, I just asked my parents a bit about what they knew about your family; so I chose the books based on that and my personal tastes.”

He laughed a little embarrassed, and Rui was interested to know that they had some literary tastes in common. More excited, the nobleman turned to Tsukasa, putting his glass aside.

“So the book about the pianist Torpe is part of your personal tastes?”

“Do you also like this story?!”

Tsukasa exclaimed in surprise and Rui nodded smiling; a smile far more genuine than all the others the prince had seen so far come from him.

“Yes, this book inspired me to learn a little bit of some musical instruments, even though I'm kind of mediocre at them.”

The blond laughed, but related to the experience, himself having learned the piano so diligently not only because of Saki and Toya, but also because of Torpe's story.

“What other books from my selection do you also like?”

Tsukasa asked, and the conversation went on for hours, both chatting happily about their favorite literary genres and common tastes. The two acted so familiarly that anyone looking wouldn't even think they'd just met recently.

“And that's why Lady Nene refused to accompany me on boat trips for a whole year.”

Rui had just told the story of how a naval invention of his resulted in him and Nene being thrown among the ducks they were feeding in a lake in the north, soaking both of them from head to toe and resulting in an angry Nene. Tsukasa laughed out loud.

“Despite the results, it sounds like a fun experience. Your creations appear amazing!”

Rui blinked in surprise, even a little flustered, at the compliment.

"Do you really think so? A lot of people get apprehensive when I try to explain them.”

“It's normal for some people to be afraid of things they don't know… But it's important for someone to test all possible ideas, isn't it? After all, you’ll only know if it’s possible by testing it, so I find these ideas fascinating when put into practice!”

Although Rui is considered a genius, not all of his ideas are well received. He had never received such a positive first response from anyone other than his parents, Nene or Mizuki, so it would be fair to say that he was almost moved by Tsukasa's words.

“… Would you like to see one of my inventions?”

He was hesitant to ask, but since Tsukasa has shown so much interest in his hobby, then it wouldn't hurt to show him something he made, would it?

“I would love to!”

Rui smiled slightly and took out a light, golden metal dragonfly-shaped brooch with some gears that was almost imperceptibly attached to his clothes. It wasn't too small, but it didn't stand out against Rui's elegant outfit, so Tsukasa hadn't noticed it before.

The nobleman pressed something on the brooch and held it out in the palm of his hand. In a second, something started to move in it, and Tsukasa then realized that the brooch was actually a mechanism. The mechanical dragonfly turned on a yellowish light and took flight from Rui's palm, which scared the prince a little, who thought it had turned into a real insect for an instant.

“I call this invention a mechanical firefly!… Well, it's not shaped like a firefly because they're too small, but what matters is that it glows like one.”

Tsukasa watched the mechanism fascinated after he realized that no, it wasn't a real insect and it wasn't going to attack him. It really was a dragonfly that glowed and flew; he had never seen a mechanism like that, he could see Rui's care and delicacy in assembling it.

“Despite my aversion to insects, this is very beautiful, Rui! What functionality did you think of for this?”

The noble's expression lit up at the compliment, the casual way in which the prince called him passing unnoticed in the midst.

“I wanted something that could light my way in dark places in an emergency without having to hold it. This dragonfly-firefly still doesn't light up that well because I still haven't found a way to make it fly with a bigger magical glowstone than that; the weight is being a problem… But I think that with some more time of studies and tests, I will be able to make it work in a way that will light up a whole room!”

Rui exclaimed excitedly, assuming an expression of shyness and laughing awkwardly for a moment. Tsukasa just listened attentively with a soft smile on his face.

“Sorry, I ended up getting excited and talking too much.”

“No need to apologize for that. As I said before, I think your ideas are fantastic! If you like, you can show me more of them in the future.”

“So does that mean you don't despise me?”

“Why did you think that?” Tsukasa frowned.

“Because of Princess Saki-”

During those hours of such pleasant interaction, Tsukasa had even forgotten that Rui was courting his sister. The blond chuckled weakly to himself when he realized that Saki was actually correct, and he and Rui had more in common than he thought.

“I never despised you, I'm just being cautious for my dear sister's sake! How can I trust any suitor of hers without testing them first?”

Tsukasa proclaimed proud of his strategy and struck a pose to match.

“So you admit you were testing me this whole time?”

Rui's teasing tone made the prince flush with embarrassment and wither from his pose for unconsciously admitting it. That whole thing about being discreet went down the drain; but it wasn't like discretion was part of Tsukasa's traits in the first place.

“Well, yes. But you can't blame me, can you?”

“I don’t think so.” He chuckled lightly, “I would do the same thing if I were in your position.”

“If that’s the case, then don't think that I'm going to accept this courtship just because we're friends now, Rui!”

The blond teased him back, smiling again and shining like the sun. Rui paused, surprised by the phrase.

“We are friends?-”

This time it was Tsukasa's turn to pause and look strangely at him, tilting his head slightly in confusion, just as Rui had seen some dogs do before.

“Of course we are! We talked for hours, we have a lot in common, and we absolutely do not want to be involved with Countess Asahina.” He chuckled in amusement at his own joke. “Why wouldn't we be friends?”

“Oh…”

Rui blushed, not knowing what to say, he just looked away at his empty glass in his hands. Tsukasa, still smiling, signaled a passing servant to fill their glasses. As soon as they did and left, Tsukasa raised his glass like that one day, proposing a toast.

"A toast! To our friendship!”

This time the smile was real and the toast was genuine. Rui raised his own glass, also smiling softly.

“Yes. A toast!~”

Chapter Text

“Ichika!!~”

“Woah?!”

The poor lady almost fell when Saki jumped to hug her as soon as Ichika entered the princess’s room, but soon returned the gesture when she didn't lose her balance.

“I see you are fully recovered, Saki~”

Honami's soft voice rang out as she too entered the room behind Ichika along with Shiho, both of them smiling softly. Saki soon changed her targets, jumping up to hug the two as well.

“We've been taking care of you, why are you acting like we haven't seen each other in ages?”

Shiho sounded serious, but deep in her voice there was affection. It's not like she cares so much about Saki's public displays of affection, especially in the privacy of her chambers, she's gotten used to it over the years.

“I've hardly been able to get out of bed, so I've barely been able to hug any of you these last four days! Don't you feel sorry that I didn't get enough of my daily doses of kisses from my girlfriends?” The princess said in a sappy voice, eliciting a few giggles from the girls.

Fortunately, Saki followed her brother's and her girlfriends' insistence to stay resting on the second day; as her fever soon rose again and she was indisposed for the next two days.

Ichika joined the three, hugging them all for a few seconds before breaking away. As much as Saki would have liked to just spend that whole day hanging out with her girlfriends, she couldn't be absent from the season's activities anymore, even more so because that specific day was a very special one, and she received a personal invitation from her new friend Rui.

“While I get ready, why don't you tell me the news, Honami?~”

“News? I haven't heard anything specific.”

Honami replied slightly confused, following Saki towards her closet to choose the clothes of the day, the other girls following behind them.

“You went to the Yoisaki family matinée yesterday, didn't you? Is my brother still accompanying Lord Rui?”

Saki was with Honami when she received the invitation, and despite her insistence to keep looking after the princess, Saki insisted that she go, as it was not often that Lady Yoisaki appeared for the events of the season.

“Ah yes, they were present. In fact, as of I’m aware, your brother has accompanied Lord Rui to all events since the day you asked.”

“He really is a person who keeps his word~” Saki chuckled lightly, imagining her brother going out of his way to do her wishes and trying to befriend Rui. “I just hope he didn't bother Rui too much.”

“I also thought something was eventually going to go wrong at some point, but it looks like they got along really well. Yesterday I saw them laughing and talking together all the time~”

"That's good to know! My brother finally has more friends!!”

Saki wiped away an invisible tear of happiness. Honami would never lie to Saki just to please her, just one more reason to trust her so much.

“Well, I still want to check it out with my own eyes! So let's get ready quickly and head to the theater!~”

They all agreed in their own way and went to help Saki get ready, since she was the only one left to change clothing, and leave with Tsukasa for the Royal Theater. Saki was excited for several reasons, as the upcoming main events of the season would be the most fun in her opinion. She would be more careful not to get sick again.

There was another reason Rui had so easily agreed to participate in that year's social season. The reason is that Nene will make her first performance at the Royal Theater!

During a visit to the north last year, after much insistence from Emu, Nene agreed to perform in an opera the next time she went to the Capital, so of course Rui would be there to support her. He wouldn't miss it for anything.

“It's a more than an important event, Mizuki! Please choose the best outfit for the occasion~”

He was more excited than usual. Aside from cultural events like this involving almost no social interaction out of respect for the art that should be quietly appreciated, he could also witness his dear childhood friend finally opening up more and slowly getting over her stage trauma.

"Yes yes, I know. I would still choose the best even without you asking.”

They laughed, equally ecstatic about the occasion and already wearing one of their best outfits. Soon Rui wore what was chosen by Mizuki. A beautiful set of black pants and blouse with silver accents, his silhouette defined by a dark purple vest with an elegant long black and white cape. White gold adornments, with various precious stones highlighting his face and a brooch that held two white plumes on the right side of his chest.

Knowing Nene, she's probably a bundle of nerves, internally freaking out in her dressing room at the theater. Rui just hoped that at least Emu's company and support would be enough to keep her confident and positive.

Still, Rui wanted to be there with them. Having already notified Saki in advance when he handed her an invitation to the opera, Rui and Mizuki left the palace as soon as they were ready, to arrive earlier than the other guests.

“Calm down, Rui. Nene is no longer the young girl she once was, have a little faith in her, would you?”

Mizuki said when they noticed Rui's restlessness inside the carriage. His knees bouncing up and down non-stop, his hands clasped in front of his scrunched face as his gaze flickered multiple times to the window, checking to see if they were close yet. Mizuki understood his behavior, after all, that wasn't Nene's first time performing in public.

In the north of the Empire, in the territory under the supervision of the Kamishiro duchy, Nene is famous for her voice and acting. Even its inhabitants are proud to call her Diva of the North, despite her absence from the spotlight in the last five years.

The reason for this was an accident. When she was fourteen, Nene was invited to sing at Duchess Kamishiro's birthday party, the biggest event she had been invited to sing at to date. She worked hard, practicing the birthday lady's favorite aria in her honor. Unfortunately, she ended up overdoing her training, and on the day of the performance her vocal cords weren't in the best condition, so Nene couldn't reach the highest notes, slowly losing her voice little by little during the aria.

Of course, neither the Duchess nor the Duke blamed her for what had happened, assuring her that everything was fine and that what she managed to sing was incredibly beautiful, even inviting her to sing at another important event. Unfortunately for Nene, the event was more traumatizing than people imagined. The feeling of her voice gradually failing as she performs, continuing to struggle to sing but this only resulting in further damage to her vocal cords, the walls of her throat hurting with every note sung; and worst of all, everyone's expression intently looking at her, a mix of confusion, surprise, and mockery.

Nene trembled every time she remembered that scene, and she froze in place, unable to sing. She even thought about giving up on her dream of becoming a famous performer throughout the empire, but Rui, Mizuki and her parents helped her to keep moving forward, slowly returning to sing with the same vivacity as before. Currently, Nene can already sing for a small audience, but that would be the first big step for her to completely overcome her trauma and become an incredible singer. Rui just wanted to be there to make sure she was okay to take that step.

The carriage finally stopped in front of the Royal Theater, and Rui had to control himself not to run as quickly as possible as soon as the coachman opened the door. Very few people were present, there were still two hours to go before the start of the opera, so Rui luckily didn't have any major interruptions during his walk backstage.

The two found Nene in her dressing room next to Emu, the pink-haired girl gently stroking the other's hand, which was trembling slightly. Both girls got up as soon as they saw Rui and Mizuki at the door, entering and closing it shortly afterward.

“Rui! Mizuki! You are here early.” Nene said instead of greeting them.

“Of course we arrived early! How could we simply not wish you the best of luck before such occasion?" Mizuki said smiling and hugging Nene, who quickly returned the gesture.

“How are you feeling, Nene?” Rui asked this time, and everyone sat on the sofas in the dressing room.

“Nervous… Afraid.” She looked away to some corner of the floor, and Emu handed her a glass of water to calm her down.

“It was to be expected. But there's nothing wrong with feeling that way."

“I know, but I can't help but remember that day.”

“It's been 5 years, Nene. You've grown a lot since that time…”

Nene didn't answer, preferring to sip her glass of water and wait in silence.

“… Have you warmed up your voice yet? Did you proofread the score?” He asked and Nene nodded silently.

“Have you eaten an apple today?”

With that, Nene widened her eyes, finally looking at him with some embarrassment. “… No, I forgot.”

Rui and Mizuki smiled at each other, picking up a bag they brought with them and handing it to Nene. She opened it and peeked inside the bag, noting some red, juicy apples ready to be consumed.

“How did you know I would forget?” Nene asked, looking back at her two childhood friends.

“Please, we've known each other long enough to know that when you're nervous, you forget little details like this.” Rui says, smiling meekly, “Not that something like forgetting an apple would affect your voice, but I know it would help you calm down.”

Nene doesn't say anything, just hugs them both tightly, Emu joining the group afterward. After long seconds, they break apart again and Nene is finally smiling at them.

“Thank you. I wouldn't have the courage to be here today if it weren't for the three of you.”

“Awnn, when did our Nene become such a sweet and sensitive lady?~” Mizuki said in a sugary voice with a pout, hugging her once more.

“Nene has always been sweet and sensitive! And cute too!” Emu declared, hugging her from the other side.

“Indeed, I still remember when we were kids, she cried because she burned the cookies she was making with me~” It was just one batch of cookies that burned, she and Rui baked many more after that, and they ended up perfect.

“Alright alright, enough fawning over me! I'm already feeling better!”

She gently pushed away the two people hugging her, a slight blush decorating her adorable puffed cheeks. The three laughed at Nene's predictable reaction, but stopped as she asked.

“Today you will shine like the diva you were born to be.”

Tsukasa got out of the carriage first, offering his hand for Saki to step out, who graciously accepted and got down beside him. The entrance to the Royal Theater was incredibly luxurious, especially at night, with a golden staircase decorated with arabesques that formed images of the extensive folklore of the Empire. Every detail of the building told some information about the local culture and history, from the legendary pegasi that flew through the skies to ancient emperors and empresses. The building had been completed a hundred years ago, but it was still carefully preserved; courtesy of the Otori duchy, which is responsible for keeping culture and joy alive in the empire.

“How long until the opera starts?” Saki asked as they climbed the steps of the staircase, everyone parting ways so as not to disturb the heirs to the throne.

“Don't worry, there’s still forty minutes to go.” Tsukasa replied, and his sister gave a light sigh of relief.

"Good. I arranged to meet with Lord Rui before the start.”

“Oh, that’s right, he arrived earlier to wish Lady Nene good luck, didn't he?” Saki nodded, smiling as usual, as she greeted the people who came to talk to them as soon as the two entered the theater.

Two days ago at the palace, after dinner, Rui personally extended an invitation to Tsukasa and Saki for Nene's performance. Neither of them was expecting that, as all the high nobility had already been invited before that night, and those invitations were just a sign of courtesy, but the siblings gracefully accepted. After analyzing the invitation in the privacy of his room that night, Tsukasa noticed that the letters were not printed, but handwritten with quill and ink, as well as all the other small details and embellishments on it.

The cursive were a bit chaotic, but in an oddly elegant way. Had Rui himself made those invitations? Tsukasa didn't understand why, but he found the gesture endearing; and knowing that he was one of the (perhaps) few people who received such a special invitation, made him feel a strange fluttering in his chest. Leaving aside strange feelings, the prince carefully placed the invitation in one of the drawers of his desk.

Now on the day of the presentation, Tsukasa would finally have the chance to ask Rui about that.

“Lord Rui! Glad we found you~”

Saki's voice made Tsukasa refocus on their surroundings, having so far mechanically greeted everyone who had come to talk to them. Rui had approached the two with a soft smile on his face, Mizuki and Emu not far away, talking to each other.

“Good evening, Your Highnesses.” He bowed briefly, going to gently take Saki's hand to deposit the usual kiss, but the princess crossed her arms first, making Rui look at her confused.

“What have I told you before?” She asked with a frown.

“I couldn't possibly refer to the two of you that way in public-” Rui tried to argue about something Tsukasa didn't understand.

“I already gave you my permission, didn't I? What else do you need? It's not like anyone would dare question you about it.”

Rui sighed, but nodded. This time, much more aware of his movements, the young noble dramatically bowed a second time to the siblings.

“An extremely pleasant evening to you, Saki and Tsukasa~”

Saki smiled contentedly and bowed back. “It is a pleasure to see you on this beautiful night, Lord Rui~”

Tsukasa hadn't realized it until that moment, but Rui never really addressed him using his name… He should use it more, his name in Rui's velvety voice pleased Tsukasa more than expected. Again a strange feeling ran down his spine, and it made him remember the case of the invitation.

“Lord Rui, may I ask you a question?” Tsukasa interrupted the talk between Rui and Saki, something about how he was going to watch the opera in the Otori family's private box with Emu and Mizuki.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Tsukasa mentally clicked his tongue at the return of the honorific. “About the invitations you handed out to me and Saki that night. You made them, didn't you?"

As he had been caught in the act, Rui blushed slightly embarrassed, smiling awkwardly. “I didn't think anyone would pay so much attention to it. But to answer your question, yes, I made them myself… I hope you’re not calling my attention to this because they're poorly made.-”

“No no, on the contrary! I thought it was very considerate of you. But if I may ask another question, why did we receive such invitations when we have already been invited before?”

With the new question, the blush on Rui's face intensified, making him look away and scratch the back of his neck. “It is an important event for us, nobles from the north. I wanted the people we care about to have some kind of special keepsake to keep and remember, not just the tickets.”

Tsukasa was the one who couldn't help but blush slightly at the explanation. Of course, Rui most likely included him in the list of “people I like enough to hand an invitation” because he, besides being the prince, was Saki's older brother, whom he was courting. Anyway, Tsukasa ignored his logical explanation and smiled happily at that, his body tingling inexplicably with heat.

A bell rang in the background. It was the first notice that the performance would start soon.

“Rui, are we going to the box?” Emu's voice caught their attention. Other nobles present at the place were already heading to their seats, and she and Mizuki were just waiting for Rui.

“Yes I'm coming.” Rui turned his attention to the siblings and bowed to them one last time. “If you’ll excuse me. See your highnesses after the performance.”

He left, with a wave and a smile, to join Emu and Mizuki, promptly heading to their box and leaving Tsukasa and Saki behind. The prince remained silent for a few seconds until Saki waved to her girlfriends and he was pulled along to the royal box.

The Royal Theater, as mentioned before, is a masterpiece of architecture. Monumental with a horseshoe formation with the seats, allowing the propagation of sounds and voice coming from the stage to resonate wonderfully well without the actors or musicians having to strain their voice too much. Of course, the entire audience is able to watch the stage from their seats; but the best views were from the private boxes at the top, always occupied by the highest nobility.

Among the various boxes, the best among them, the one on the left end closest to the stage, was always reserved for royalty; and that's where Tsukasa was sitting next to Saki and her ladies in waiting, waiting for the presentation to start. The blond turned his head to the other side to see which were the nobles who occupied the box next to him this time, and had a pleasant surprise when he saw Toya together with Akito, An and Kohane, waving to him; he naturally waved back. Toya’s siblings or parents weren't with him, so Tsukasa assumed they hadn't come or were in another box.

Unfortunately they couldn't talk at that moment, so Tsukasa went back to sit correctly in his seat, this time averting his gaze to the box opposite his, on the other side of the theater. Usually that box, the second best in the Royal Theater, was reserved for the Otori family; and certainly there they were, but what Tsukasa forgot for a moment is that Rui was there too, sitting between Emu and Mizuki.

The prince considered trying to get his attention in some way, but the last interaction between them was still vivid in his mind, and he hesitated. During his dilemma, Rui spotted the blond looking at him, and he himself gave a small wave with a smile to Tsukasa. The blond nearly choked for a moment, but managed to cover it up with a cough and waved back as Rui chuckled. Adorable.

…

Wait, what?

The bell rang again and the lights went out, indicating the beginning of the performance. Everyone present, including Tsukasa, fell silent and turned their eyes towards the stage, where the heavy red curtains slowly opened accompanied by a soft melody played by the orchestra from the orchestra pit.

The stage was beautifully decorated, but everyone was watching Nene under the spotlight. A tension of great anticipation hangs over the theater until Nene's voice rings out beautifully, everyone expressing happy surprise to hear her sing.

Tsukasa didn't know which were the other performers who would present the opera alongside Nene, he only knew that she played the main soprano, Violetta. The story, as he remembered it, was about a nobleman who falls in love with a famous courtesan, and against his parents' wishes, they marry; unfortunately the story ends in tragedy, as the nobleman's father convinces the former courtesan to break off their relationship so as not to tarnish his reputation, and after dying of tuberculosis, only then does the nobleman discover that she never stopped loving him and only did that to protect him.

Tragedies of that sort were not Tsukasa's favorite genre, but that didn't stop him from appreciating the work; even more so with Nene's beautiful voice intoning every note perfectly, her vibrato flawless and constant, reaching the high notes without much difficulty. She was indeed a diva, as Emu had told him many times before.

If he was that enraptured, Tsukasa couldn't imagine how Rui was feeling, and taking advantage of the fact that they were in opposite boxes, the blond averted his gaze to observe the noble on the other side. He unconsciously stopped his breath.

Rui's face was a canvas of overflowing emotions. His teary eyes were fixed on Nene, and despite the sad story, Tsukasa knew that wasn't why he was close to tears. An expression he had never seen on the other before, a moment of pure pride, happiness, and vulnerability.

Tsukasa could still hear Nene's beautiful voice, and would listen for even longer, as they weren't even halfway through the opera. But even though his ears were fully focused on the singing, his eyes barely left Rui. The prince was aware that if anyone paid attention to him, they would think he was some kind of freak staring at Rui like that, but he couldn't help it, too fascinated by the nobleman's expressions heightened by his good looks.

When he realized it, he was standing and applauding with the others present, as the performance had just ended. Saki said something to him, and he just nodded without listening, still a little out of touch with reality. Tsukasa saw Rui leaving his box, probably to congratulate Nene, and he followed behind with his sister. Few people were allowed backstage, so luckily the halls weren't too crowded; only several crew members congratulating each other for yet another well-done presentation.

"You did it! It was more than perfect!” Rui's voice echoed down the hall, full of pride, matching his, Mizuki's, and Emu's expressions.

“I'm always happy to hear you sing, Nene! And now that everyone else can also feel happy with your voice, I feel even more bam bam wan wan wonderhappy! ” Emu hugged Nene without ceasing to smile widely.

“It's like Lady Emu said, your beautiful voice amazed everyone, Lady Nene!” Saki announced the arrival of the two, and Emu finally let go of the diva, everyone turning to greet the royal siblings.

“Thank you, Princess Saki. I look forward to continuing to perform in front of more people in the future.”

“With your natural talent and Emu's support, your wish will surely come true!” Tsukasa praised her, already back to his normal self, despite still looking sideways at Rui.

The purple-haired nobleman approached Nene again, this time with a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hands. The singer kindly accepted the flowers.

“A gift from us to commemorate your success.” He said softly, and added with a smile, “But I imagine the real celebration will take place later at the Otori residence, right? Knowing Lady Emu, I know she must have prepared something special for you.”

The reply was not heard by Tsukasa, who, despite still smiling, was now staring at the bouquet of flowers. Again that strange feeling took over his body.

Don't get him wrong, he was also extremely happy for Nene. But Tsukasa noticed that for some reason he also wanted to receive flowers and compliments from Rui. He also wanted to make him proud and impress in some way, just like Nene did.

He also wanted Rui to care for him that way.

The prince stayed silently watching the others interact, thinking. Maybe he'll get his chance soon. Tsukasa only hoped that Rui would be interested in the games just as he was interested in theater.

Chapter Text

“Rui? Are you still awake?"

During their stay in the capital, every night without fail, Rui would let Mizuki know when he was going to sleep as a precaution. Perhaps it was mildly disrespectful to the imperial family, to not completely trust the safety of the palace, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. So of course Mizuki would be suspicious not to have heard anything from Rui when the clock struck one in the morning.

“Rui? If you don't answer me in twenty seconds, I will come in."

Mizuki said again as they knocked on the door to their friend's chambers. Fortunately, they heard footsteps soon after and a doorknob turning, the door opening to reveal a disheveled Rui on the other side.

“Sorry, Mizuki- I was distracted and didn't hear you.”

“As long as you're okay… But why are you still up at this hour? You know the games are tomorrow.”

Rui took the scolding with a smirk, leading them into the room and closing the doors so they wouldn't make any noise in the empty hallway. In the common room, the coffee table was completely covered with ribbons of different colors, along with scraps, brushes, and paint. Complete chaos, but something you would normally see in Rui's room at the Kamishiro estate.

“What is all this?”

“That's why I forgot to go to sleep, Mizuki.” Rui's eyes sparkled with excitement. “Saki and Emu taught me how to make ‘good luck ribbons’, a tradition in the capital!”

Now that chaos made sense to Mizuki. Rui would naturally not know about this tradition of sporting competitions, as he has never participated in one and they are not as common in the north. It's a very simple tradition, basically a person makes a personalized ribbon with their own hands and gives it to a loved one who will be participating in the games as a symbol of good luck.

“I'm glad you liked it, but why did you make so many? Only I will be participating in the games.” Mizuki commented when they spotted some beautiful ribbons already finished and carefully placed on another table.

“Why should only those participating receive good luck ribbons? Wouldn't you like everyone you care about to have good luck?” Rui was serious, almost offended by the insinuation. “I will let you know that Emu agreed with me, so I decided to make good luck ribbons for them too.”

Mizuki sighed with a smile. They should have imagined that Rui and Emu would come to such a conclusion together. Well, not that they were against it; in fact, Mizuki also made good luck ribbons for certain girls, even though not all of them were going to participate in the games.

“Let's see, one for me, Emu, Nene and Princess Saki, right?” He nodded, “Then why did you make five ribbons?"

Oh.

Rui really had made five charming good luck ribbons. All beautifully adorned with details and colors that reminded him of the recipients of the gifts. And among them, the fifth ribbon was predominantly a warm yellow, slightly orange, intertwined with a vibrant blue stripe, and a small star pendant at one end.

“You made a ribbon for the prince too.” It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

“Ahem- well, yeah… He's been kind to me these past few days, and helped me with the situation with Countess Asahina, so I thought I'd thank him… with that.” His voice got lower as Mizuki's sly smile widened.

“I knew that you two now get along better than before, but I didn’t know it was that better~”

Rui mumbled something inaudible, preferring not to give in to Mizuki's teasing. Yes, he had made a ribbon for Tsukasa without realizing it, so what? It just happened. Rui had just finished Nene's ribbon, and thinking of what else to do, his thoughts drifted to the surprisingly pleasant moments he had with the prince; especially the night they talked through the Countess's entire ball.

“It's late, Mizuki. Let's go to sleep."

“Alright alright, I'll let it go this time just because I'm tired too and we have a long day tomorrow~” Mizuki said still with the same smile on their face, stretching once before leaving the room to go to their own.

“Good night, Rui~”

“Good night, Mizuki.”

It was a sunny day with few clouds in the sky, not too hot, not too cold. Perfect for hosting one of the most exciting events of the entire social season: The Competitive Games.

Unlike other social season events, where polite and present interactions are the focus for both socializing and courtship, during the games people are too distracted cheering each other on or engaging in some friendly rivalry. It is, overall, a good time to relax a little and have fun.

This was even Tsukasa's initial plan. Staying out of the games and just rooting for Toya and the others participating, betting on who would win, talking about different sword techniques. Just enjoy and relax. But unfortunately, he decided to join the games at the last minute, even though he only managed to sign up for a demonstrative match; he probably wouldn't have gotten even that if he weren't the prince.

His objective with all this was simple: to deepen his friendship with Rui.

Tsukasa noticed that even though they had been having a good time the last few days, he and Rui still weren't close enough to consider themselves true friends. And that was exactly why he felt that way on the day of the opera, because Rui showed how he truly acts with friends close to him, and Tsukasa wanted to be a part of it too. Yes, that was all of it.

If Tsukasa showed how cool and good he is during the games, maybe he would impress Rui, and then the noble would enjoy talking to him more! It was a great plan for Tsukasa to finally have a close friend.

Sure, he wasn't lonely, he was always surrounded by people he liked, like his sister, Toya, Emu, Shizuku, etc. But none of them was that kind of friendship, you know? He and Shizuku don't see each other that much, and she already has a great group of friends; Toya, Akito, An and Kohane are inseparable; and Emu constantly travels to other parts of the empire, mostly to the north to visit Nene, so they mostly communicate through letters.

They all have someone they can open up to completely, tell them everything they feel, and receive unconditional support. But Tsukasa? Tsukasa didn't have anyone like that. Keeping up appearances is of utmost importance, without showing weaknesses or concerns. Even with Saki, Tsukasa couldn't worry her with his problems when she already has hers, he just wanted his sister to continue enjoying life without having to worry about her brother; it is his duty to take care of her and not the other way around.

But Rui? There was something about him that made Tsukasa want to tell him everything, and know everything about him back. He was almost like a mystery that invited you to try to unravel. Rui is interesting and expressive, yet quiet and collected in public; his tastes are very diverse, and similar to Tsukasa's. If there's anyone in the world who matches Tsukasa perfectly, it's Rui; so of course the prince had to work hard to deepen the friendship between the two.

"Brother? We arrived~”

The venue where the games take place is a modified racecourse, altered so that not only horse racing could be held, but other activities as well, such as dueling, archery and even team sports. The venue was a joint collaboration of the three duchies and the imperial family after the end of the war, built with the purpose of signaling the beginning of an era of peace and fun for all.

“Will the first competitions be horse racing?”

Tsukasa asked Saki as soon as they put their feet on the ground. Several people were already present, and the entire place was decorated with bright colors and flags; children running around with balloons, families smiling together, and ladies and gentlemen placing bets before the games began. In a place near the bleachers, Rui was making an animal-shaped balloon and handing it to a child, who immediately thanked him with shining eyes and left.

“Saki! Tsukasa! We're here!~” Emu waved at them from Rui and Nene's side, and the siblings walked over to them.

“I didn't know you could do balloon art, Lord Rui!” Saki said as the purple haired noble greeted her with a kiss on her hand.

“It's a hobby I picked up a few years ago. If you want, I can make you some when we return to the palace~”

“Why not now?”

“I'm sure you'll be too busy cheering on Dame Shiho during the duels to take care of a fragile balloon animal~”

He replied with a mischievous smile and they all laughed.

“Ah! That reminds me that I didn't give Shiho the good luck ribbon I made for her!” Saki exclaimed with wide eyes, “You can all go to the seats first, I'll meet you there!”

And she ran off, heading towards the area reserved for competitors to prepare and observe the games, where Tsukasa guessed Shiho and others were already. Emu waved at Saki until she was out of sight, and Rui started to guide them to her places.

“Speaking of which, did you make yours, Rui?~” Emu asked during the walk, and the nobleman smiled excitedly.

“Yes, I already handed over Mizuki's. I'll hand out the others after the games, so they don't get damaged. Thank you for teaching me, Lady Emu~”

“But Rui, the ribbons must be given before the game starts!” she protested.

“But among us only Mizuki will participate, no? I can give them at the end then.”

“Actually-” She was going to say something, but was interrupted by Nene.

“Emu!”

They talked with their eyes for a moment, and then Emu made a sound of understanding. Rui looked at Tsukasa as if asking if he knew anything, but the prince just shrugged, in the dark as much as he was.

“Something wrong?” Tsukasa tried to ask.

"No no! You are right. I will wait until the end of the games then~”

They dropped the subject and continued walking until they reached their seats in the bleachers. From what Rui and Emu talked about, apparently they had made good luck ribbons. If Rui had already given the ribbon of who would participate, then it meant that he hadn't made one for Tsukasa, since even at the last minute, surely the word that the prince would participate would have reached his ears, right? Right?! The blond sighed internally, what was he expecting? Of course Rui wouldn't make a ribbon for him, only people close and dear to him would get one.

“Did you bet on anyone for the races, Rui?” Nene asked as soon as they sat down in a shaded seat, and Rui shook his head.

“I don't know much about horses, and I don't know who the best jockeys are, so I didn't want to risk it.”

“I bet on Lady Kohane!” Emu said happily next to Nene.

“Lady Kohane competing in the race? I didn't expect that.” Tsukasa commented.

“It's her first time competing, but she's really good! I already ride with her a few times~”

“Hm, maybe I’ll bet on her then…”

In the middle of the conversation, Saki returned with Ichika at her side, each with a drink in hand.

“Welcome back! Where is Honami?”

“Honami is going to do a dressage demonstration between categories, so she decided to stay with Shiho.” Ichika answered, and the two girls sat next to Rui.

“She said she'll be joining us later~” Saki added, and shortly thereafter the presenter appeared on the field, announcing the start of the first competition and listing all the participants as they entered the field with their horses.

“Ah! There's Kohane~ GO GO KOHANEEE!!” Emu cheered, rising from her seat as Kohane entered on her mare, waving shyly to whoever was cheering her on.

It didn't take long for the race to begin, a pistol shot in the air signaling the start, and all the horses began galloping. That race involved no obstacles, so none of the competitors were concerned about the route other than speed.

At the start Kohane was in fifth position, looking a little nervous, but within seconds she was encouraged by the cheers of her friends, focusing on the race and making her mare gallop faster. In the end, despite her best efforts, Kohane ended up crossing the finish line in third place.

“She did really well for someone competing for the first time.” Rui commented from his place between Saki and Tsukasa, now much more excited about the next category.

“Yes, if she continues like this, next year she might end up winning!” The princess agreed.

Rui watched Nene murmur something to Emu after looking at the big clock on one side of the racecourse, along with a poster with the schedule of competitions.

“It's hot today, Nene and I are going to get something to drink~”

They said and left before anyone could say anything. A little suspicious, but Rui trusted the two, so they let them go without worrying, deciding to focus on the next race they were already organizing. This time an obstacle course, staff were doing one last check as the presenter relisted the participants. Unfortunately, this time there was no relevant name for him.

“So, Lord Rui…” Tsukasa called out to him as the start was given, but he turned his face to look at the prince anyway.

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“Did you bet on someone for swordsmanship duels?”

“Of course, I asked Nene to bet for me on Mizuki. I have to show my support somehow, right?~”

“Yes, as expected.” Tsukasa smiled, trying to ignore negative thoughts. Rui wasn't obligated to show support for anyone other than Mizuki, so it shouldn't bother him that much.

Grow up, Tsukasa. You are no longer a teenager looking for validation.

“Woah?! Incredible!" Rui exclaimed in fascination as the horses leapt across two parallel bars at once, oblivious to Tsukasa's conflict at his side.

Two races later, finally they noticed that Emu and Nene still hadn't returned.

“Did they get lost?” Ichika questioned it, but Tsukasa denied it.

“Lady Emu would never get lost here.”

“Maybe they stopped to buy other things? There are always several stalls selling gifts and food during the games.” Saki argued, but everyone was still slightly worried.

“Now we have Lady Honami's dressage demonstration as an intervention, don't we? I'll look for both of them in the meantime-”

Rui said, already getting up, but the presenter's voice interrupted him in the process.

“What?- Well… Dear audience, apparently we have a surprise competition before the intervention-”

Everyone focused back on the field, confused, as no one had heard of a surprise competition before. Wait, were those…

“Lady Emu and Lady Nene?!” Saki exclaimed for all present as the two girls appeared on the field, mounted on horses, with the presenter announcing them.

“Toya and Akito too?-" This time it was Tsukasa who exclaimed in surprise. The two young men appeared right after on their own horses, waving to the crowd and trotting next to Emu and Nene.

Tsukasa swore he heard some kind of commotion coming from the seats where the Otori family was watching the games. This was certainly not a decision taken together or communicated to the event organizers.

“Was that why they disappeared? They didn’t say anything about participating before!”

Rui couldn't contain his laughter. It certainly suited the two girls to do something like that. “Of course not, no one could find out at the risk of Lady Emu’s brothers trying to stop her~”

“Lady Emu Otori and Lady Nene Kusanagi will compete against Sir Akito Shinonome and Sir Toya Aoyagi in an all-new obstacle course! A round of applause for our surprise contestants!”

The presenter said again, already preparing to start the race, while Nene checked once more the tightness of her reins.

“… I should have given them the ribbons earlier.” Rui's comment made Tsukasa's chest tighten a little again, but he shook his head and forced himself to pay attention to what was probably going to be one of the greatest horse races he'd ever watched.

On the track, Emu laughed excitedly, looking at her rivals.

“Ready for a completely wonderhoy match?!!”

“Yes, it will be a pleasure to be the first to win in a new track like this~” Akito said with an arrogant smile.

“I think you've mixed up your words, Sir Akito, as clearly you're going to eat dust~” Nene teased, tying her long hair into a ponytail so it wouldn't get in her way.

“Don't mistakenly claim victory before the match, Lady Kusanagi, they say it's bad luck.” Toya's words were meek, but laced with an amused, challenging tone.

“As your presenter, I will explain the new obstacle course! The track has been divided into two small circuits, one focused on agility and the other on skill, and each member of the duo will choose which part to participate in.”

The presenter pointed to the two sides of the track, the side with obstacles in red representing the agility course and the blue side the skill course. Many people expressed curiosity about the new modality.

“There are three types of obstacles on each course. In agility, we will have the typical log fences, followed by bounces, and finally a ditch! In the skill course we have a skinny, and with the next obstacles being over low artificial water crossings, we have a rolltop and a corner. After that there is only one last brush and the finish line!”

It was a race that became more difficult in the second half. If no one was previously aware of this competition, then surely the four must have planned the course between them. It was quite risky to undertake a course in an official competition without having tested it before, but Tsukasa trusted the knowledge of the four competitors, and knew that they would not have chosen those obstacles if they didn't know that they could complete them without great risks.

“Without further ado, let's get started! In the agility course, we have Sir Akito Shinonome against Lady Emu Otori! Remembering that this is a duo race, so the faster they finish the first part, the faster their partner can start the skill course!”

Emu and Akito trotted to the starting line of the first course, while Nene and Toya went to the start of the second one. While waiting for the preparations to end, the contestants shook hands and wished each other luck one last time.

Silence settled over the racecourse, waiting for the starting signal. Both Rui and Tsukasa holding their breath in anticipation, their gazes fixed on Emu and Akito, who just focused on the path ahead, each planning their own strategy to gain some advantage.

Then the silence was broken in an outburst. The start was given, and the two left at high speed towards the first obstacle. The crowd immediately started cheering, it wasn't every day that they saw a competition between two direct members of two duchies, much less in pairs.

Akito was in the lead, and the first obstacle was reached; the ginger easily jumped with his horse through the three log fences that there were, without losing almost any of his speed, and Emu was right behind, also making the jumps without difficulty.

Things changed with the arrival of the second obstacle, the bounces. Akito was too fast to adjust his horse's leap to make the consecutive small hops of the bounce, and was forced to take a quick break from his pace before continuing the track. With this mistake, Emu, who was at a more controlled speed, managed to pass the bounces without stopping, thus taking the lead of the race.

“Tch- I won't let you!” Akito yelled in frustration, again increasing his speed as he completed the bounces. Emu just laughed happily, quickening her horse's gallop towards the ditch.

“We're almost there, Mr. Sparkles! Just one last jump!” Emu spoke to her trusty horse, giving him two quick strokes before gripping the reins more firmly to keep the animal from focusing elsewhere.

With her body leaning over the horse, Emu showed firmness and courage by making him accelerate and jump over the one and a half meter ditch perfectly, and then maintaining speed towards the end of the first course, where Nene was waiting for her.

Akito remained frustrated at not being able to overtake her, but performed his own jump over the ditch with no problem. He almost caught up with her in the race to the finish, but Emu crossed the line first, and the start was given first to Nene, who wasted no time in galloping off on her own course.

“Good job, Emu!!” Rui celebrated, getting up from his seat and cheering with the others.

Emu waved to the smiling audience, patting Mr. Sparkles with one hand, congratulating him on a race well done. Akito arrived a few seconds later.

“Damn, sorry, Toya!” It was the first thing he said, but Toya smiled at him without resentment during his own start, galloping fast to catch up with Nene.

The first obstacle was a skinny, which required precision and courage from both the jockey and the horse. Nene was apprehensive about that obstacle, as she was not running with her mare but one of the Otori family, so she decided to slow down her speed in order to not miss the jump. The speed reduction was enough for Toya to catch up, and unlike Nene, he barely slowed down as he jumped through the skinny flawlessly.

The audience cheered with Toya's jump and retake of leadership. Tsukasa had already been standing beside Rui for some time, cheering for both teams, as they both are dear friends of his.

Nene managed to pass the skinny without any accidents, and increased the speed of the gallop even when jumping through the rolltops in the water crossing, little by little catching up with Toya towards the last obstacle. Water splashed with every gallop, wetting even her boots, but she couldn't afford to hesitate in that final moment, even with the last obstacle being a corner.

Both reached the last obstacle at the same time, but while Toya chose to jump more in the middle, Nene jumped more in one of the corners, and those milliseconds of difference between her shortest jump and Toya's longest was enough to get her a little advantage. Now she just had to cross the finish line.

“You can do it, Nene!!!” Emu cheered after the finish line, where she was waiting with Akito, who was cheering for his own partner.

“Now it's just a matter of speed, Toya!!”

Nene and Toya, riding side by side at high speed. In the short path to the finish line, the lead changed several times by a matter of centimeters, but finally someone was declared the winner by arriving first than his opponent.

Shouts of celebration from everyone in the audience when they finally signaled the end of the race, and Nene was announced the winner. Rui naturally celebrated with everyone, absolutely ecstatic for her friends' victory, and impulsively hugged the person closest to him out of happiness and adrenaline, who turned out to be Tsukasa, as Saki was busy celebrating with Ichika.

“Ah-” The two blushed when they realized, and Rui let go of him awkwardly. “Sorry, I just-”

“No no, I understand!” The blond replied, equally embarrassed.

“Well… I will congratulate Lady Emu and Lady Nene.” The noble smiled still red and withdrew, walking to one of the entrances to the field.

“NENE!!!” Emu jumped on the girl as soon as she got off her horse, hugging her. “I told you you would make it!”

“If it wasn't for the advantage you gave me in the first course I wouldn't have won, Emu~” Nene laughed, hugging her back, but soon separated as Toya and Akito approached.

“Congratulations on your victory, ladies.” Toya congratulated them with his usual soft smile.

“It was a good race.” Akito said from his side, with an equally soft smile, but that soon changed to something more teasing. “But next time we will win for sure.”

“That's what we'll see~” Nene replied, and shortly thereafter her attention was drawn to Rui waving at them from the protective fence.

“I don't think they let him in” Emu laughed, and the two said goodbye to Akito and Toya, letting their horses be led by servants to the stable while they walked over to Rui.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” He said as soon as they got close enough. Nene rolled her eyes at his sad doggy eyes.

“We couldn't risk anyone finding out.”

“Besides, you were almost always with Tsukasa these last few days!” Emu commented and Rui gasped.

“That's not true!…” They just stared at him, “… Is it?”

The three walked away from the field, making their way to the stalls for something to eat. In the background, Rui could hear people celebrating Honami's entrance to do her dressage demonstration; hopefully they'd be back in time to see the end.

“I thought he didn't like you at first?”

“About that… He was just being cautious for Saki's sake.” He responded while scratching his cheek. “We actually have a lot in common.”

Emu gasped. “So he doesn't know that your courtship is just pretend?” Nene made a sshh sign.

Rui was not at all surprised to learn that Nene had told Emu, he already imagined that she would, and he didn't mind Emu knowing as long as she kept it a secret. He even double-checked around them to confirm that no one had heard what she said.

“Too many people already know about this, and the more people, the riskier it is for this to be revealed to society.”

Emu didn't look very convinced, but nodded anyway.

“I told him he could have come to ask for our help, but he denied it.”

“Didn't you say that you want to officially announce the courtship between you soon? I couldn't delay that any further~” He teased in amusement, but still being honest.

Nene blushed a little and gave him a light slap on the arm before taking Emu's hands and starting to walk faster with her. “Come on Emu. Let Rui deal with the consequences of his decisions later.” Emu laughed and waved goodbye to Rui, who understood Nene's desire to enjoy the other activities of the games with Emu.

Alone again huh

“Ah, you are here too, Lord Rui!”

I spoke too soon~

“Your Highness.” He turned and greeted Tsukasa, “I was just on my way to buy something to drink.”

“Allow me to accompany you then. Saki and Ichika are watching Honami, so I came alone.”

Rui smiled, happy for the company. Now that he no longer felt uncomfortable with Tsukasa's presence and considered him a friend, Rui preferred being with him than being alone.

“I figured that was the case.” He commented and stopped in front of one of the refreshment stalls, ordering a simple orange juice. Tsukasa asked for the same.

“Actually, besides coming for a drink, I admit that I was also looking for you, Lord Rui.”

“Hm? And for what reason?”

“The imperial palace has a large library and beautiful gardens-” Tsukasa avoided looking at him, preferring to stare at his glass or the path they walked towards the bleachers again.

"I’m aware. Saki showed me a part of the gardens the day I arrived~”

“So you haven’t seen the library yet?!” His face lit up a little. “Few are allowed to go in there, so it's empty most of the time- And since tomorrow Saki will be busy with another appointment…” Rui just looked at him, confused.

“Argh! What I mean is-” He took a deep breath and stared into Rui's eyes, “Tomorrow you'll be free, won't you? So if you like, I can show you the royal library.”

Rui didn't expect that. His plans for the next day were just to read in his chambers all day. In fact, Tsukasa's invitation was more than ideal; he could explore the palace's books, not be disturbed all day and still have the prince's company.

“I would love to, Your Highness~” Rui smiled genuinely pleased, and Tsukasa returned a bright smile of his own.

"Great! I will fetch you from your quarters in the afternoon.”

Rui nodded, and just in time for them to reach their previous seats in the bleachers. Honami was already with Saki and Ichika, indicating that they had unfortunately missed her performance. At least she didn't seem sad about it, Rui imagined that her girlfriends' attention alone was enough for her.

“Forgive our delay, my ladies.” The noble said first, and sat next to Tsukasa at the end of the bench, allowing Saki to be between Honami and Ichika.

“Not a problem.” Saki replied, “You guys are just in time for the archery competition~”

Thanks to the technologies and inventions from the north implemented at the racecourse, the equipment can be easily moved, allowing quick modifications of structures. Because of this, what was once an area for equestrian demonstrations was now a perfect arena for combat and archery.

“I only know that Lady Shizuku is participating.” Rui said, remembering the conversation they had at Lady Hanasato's tea party a few days ago.

“Lady Mafuyu too. Both are favorites to win this year.”

The noble shuddered slightly at the name. Not that it was Lady Mafuyu's fault, but if that meant that her mother was also present somewhere, Rui couldn't help but become more aware of his surroundings in order to flee at any moment.

“You can relax, the countess won't be bothering us today~” Tsukasa said as if he had read his thoughts. That reassured Rui.

The audience applauded as the competitors entered the arena in a row, each heading to their designated area. Naturally, the first in line were Mafuyu and Shizuku, as they would be in the best positions for observation from the bleachers.

“I hope Lady Shizuku wins this year.” Saki commented and everyone agreed.

“Dame Shiho won't watch with us?” Rui asked, taking advantage of the fact that the presenter was still announcing the participants of that modality.

“No, next we have the duels, so she will watch from the contestant's area.” Honami said, pointing to the other side of the arena, where participants of all categories could watch what was going on as they prepared and waited their turn.

This reminded Tsukasa that he should probably head over there already and change into his dueling gear. Archery competitions never lasted long, so he was in danger of not being able to prepare in time. Glancing discreetly at Rui and Saki waving at Shizuku, the prince silently got up and left to go get ready.

The archery rules of the social season games were simple. The competition starts with eight participants, each one has to shoot 10 arrows at a target 50 meters away, and the worst three are eliminated; in the second round the five participants have to shoot 10 arrows at a target 60 meters away, and again the worst three are eliminated; and finally the two finalists dispute with 10 arrows in a target 70 meters away. Each ring on the target has its score, a simple system to facilitate the counting of points.

Given the start signal, one competitor at a time would shoot an arrow at their target, to avoid any attempt at cheating and to facilitate the observation of each arrow shot. The methodical process was watched by the anxious audience, each time someone hit the center of the target, applause was given, and if someone missed, encouragement was heard.

Naturally, as expected by everyone, the finalists turned out to be Mafuyu and Shizuku. Both drank water and checked their bows and arrows one last time before shaking hands for the start of the final round.

It was only at that moment, after all that time, that Rui noticed Tsukasa's absence among them. He looked around, looking for the blond to no avail, then turned to Saki.

“Where’s the prince?”

Saki did the same as him, looking around until Ichika intervened. “He must have gone to the contestants' area.”

“Huh? Why would he go there?” Rui asked again, and Saki was the one who answered this time, understanding dawning on her face as she remembered.

"Ah, yes! Tsukasa signed up last minute for the duels.”

Rui blinked in surprise for a few seconds. He wasn't aware of that. Perhaps it was his fault for not keeping up with the season's news and gossip, so he simply assumed that only Mizuki would join the games.

“Lord Rui?” Saki tried to get his attention.

“Forgive me, my ladies, but I have an important thing to do!”

That was all Rui said before he got up on impulse and walked as fast as he could towards the contestants' area. He wouldn't make the same mistake of not giving the good luck ribbons to Emu and Nene before the games. He would manage to give Tsukasa's ribbon.

Even though he didn't run to the other side of the arena, having to keep up appearances by just walking fast, Rui arrived completely out of breath to where the competitors were waiting. He leaned against the fence that separated the areas to rest a bit, taking advantage of the fact that there weren't many people around.

“Lord Rui?”

Of course Tsukasa had spotted him almost immediately .

“Your Highness!” Rui wheezed. “Give me a second, please.”

The prince gave him a strange look, but nodded and just watched as Rui took a few deep breaths. After a minute, he straightened up and looked at Tsukasa with a small smile.

“Better now?”

“Yes, thank you.”

"Why are you here? The best view of the games is from the bleachers.”

Rui rummaged in one of his suit pockets, looking for something. When he found what he was looking for, his eyes lit up, and he took it out of his pocket to show Tsukasa the ribbon he had made for him.

“Is that…?!” Tsukasa started the sentence but didn't finish. The ribbon's design screamed his name, but he didn't want to make assumptions and be disappointed later.

“I made this good luck ribbon for you.” Rui said, extending the ribbon to him, blushing. “I didn't know you were going to participate in the games, so I didn't hand it in sooner…”

Tsukasa carefully took the ribbon in his hands, admiring every detail. It wasn't the prettiest of ribbons, you could see that someone without practice had made that one, but in the prince's eyes it was one of the best ribbons he had ever received.

“Thank you, Lord Rui-” He thanked him sincerely, picking up his sword to tie the ribbon around the hilt. “Even if I'm only going to participate in a demonstration duel, I'll do my best to honor your ribbon!”

“Just a demonstration duel?”

“I decided to participate at the last minute, and they had already organized the brackets for the duels, so I could only participate in a demonstration.”

“Any particular reason for suddenly deciding to join?” Rui asked curiously, and Tsukasa blushed slightly.

'Because of you…'

“I wanted to, since I know I won't have many opportunities to duel with the others during the social season.” An excuse not entirely true, but plausible nonetheless.

Rui looked slightly disappointed, but continued to smile. “I will root for you anyway.”

A bell echoed through the arena and applause soon followed. The archery competition had come to an end, and everyone was celebrating for the victor.

“I better go back, the duels are about to start-” The nobleman said, not exactly wanting to walk away, but forcing himself to take slow steps back. “Good luck, Your Highness~”

“See you later, Lord Rui.” Tsukasa said, waving in place, his chest bursting with happiness and his other hand holding the sword with the ribbon.

How could he be so happy with just a simple good luck ribbon? Obviously Tsukasa is always happy with Saki's gifts, and he had also received ribbons from her and Emu before, but then why did Rui's ribbon make him feel happy in a different, more intense, way?

He didn't have time to think about that, and after Rui disappeared from his sight, Tsukasa returned to where the other competitors were gathered around the archers that had just competed. From what he could hear from the conversation, Mafuyu had beaten Shizuku by just five points!

“I'm sure next year you will win, Shizuku!” Tsukasa said as he approached her.

“Thank you, Tsukasa. I'll train more with Lady Mafuyu until then~” She replied and left, needing to rest after all the physical exertion.

The arena was quickly modified again, only needing to move the targets away and delimit the limit of the combat area. Competitors could choose the style of sword fighting to use, but most people chose general sword fighting. Tsukasa was one of those people.

“So it was because of you that the event organization asked Toya to participate in a demonstration duel?” Akito said from behind the blond with his usual irritated tone.

“It's no trouble at all, Akito.” Toya said close behind, assuring Tsukasa that he wasn't forced into anything. Akito just clicked his tongue.

“We haven't dueled in a while, Toya! It will be nice to see how you improved!” The prince said loudly, striking a pose.

“Yes, it is always an honor to be able to duel with you, Tsukasa~”

The three walked together to the entrance of the arena, where they waited their turn to be announced. Toya and Akito were called first, waving to the cheering crowd as the tournament favorites to win, and when Tsukasa was announced with all the pomp an heir to the empire deserved, he took a deep breath and took the first step.

The sheer adrenaline he felt by just standing in the slightly raised arena for the best view of the audience was indescribable, Tsukasa felt he could fight an army (of course he would never do that), but since unfortunately he would only participate in a duel in the end of the tournament, the prince would have to hold his anxiety until then.

An hour had already passed, some duels being quick and others stretching out longer than expected, but overall, all interesting to watch. Tsukasa wondered if Rui was fascinated in the same way as he was with the other games, and he also wondered if Rui would be impressed by him.

Everyone with whom the prince had any degree of closeness made it very far in the duel brackets, and practically occupied the entire quarterfinals. Midway through the finals, Haruka lost to Shiho, and Shiho later ended up losing to Mizuki. Tsukasa has never heard Shizuku cheer so loudly for her sister before.

Unfortunately, in the semifinals, Mizuki ended up losing to Akito while Toya lost to An, which finally brought them down to the duelists who would face each other in the finals. Tsukasa would be lying if he said he wasn't excited about it, after all, the rivalry between the two is famous among knights; As they are part of the same knighthood – the Midnight Knights – training and disputes between the two were frequent, and the score of victories and defeats is almost even until today.

“I look forward to defeating you with a larger audience, Akito~” An teased, testing the weight of the sword in her hands.

“Do you really think I’m going to let you win?” He laughed mockingly, positioning himself in the arena a few meters in front of her.

“I don’t need you to let me do anything~”

The judge gave the signal for the duel to begin, and both immediately charged at each other. The attacks were frantic, the sound of metal hitting metal and occasionally sparking; neither of them got too carried away by consecutive attacks, striking back right after. Akito and An practically danced around the arena, taking advantage of all the space allowed, to find a gap in the other's defense; but it soon became a duel of endurance, both too used to each other's fighting style to gain a great advantage.

Finally, An managed to strike Akito and make his sword fly away, having taken advantage of a small gap that the other was unable to be fast enough to properly block due to the fatigue of the extensive fight. An was declared the victor, and she naturally dedicated her victory to her father and Kohane, who were watching from the bleachers.

While everyone applauded the winner, Tsukasa finally got up from his waiting spot. It was time for the last show of the games, his duel against Toya.

“Let us have a good duel.” Toya said as the two walked towards the center of the arena, swords in hand.

"Of course! Don't hold back, Toya~”

The arena fell silent once more, awaiting the judge's signal to start the match. Tsukasa and Toya got into position, tension hanging in the air from the few seconds of wait.

When the signal was finally given to start the duel, they didn't attack each other right away, first circling the area and analyzing each other’s movements. Since they hadn't dueled together in a while, they weren't sure of each other's attack patterns and fighting habits, so any false move could lead to victory for one and defeat for the other in the blink of an eye.

And in the blink of an eye it really all started. Deciding he had seen enough, Tsukasa lunged at Toya with a horizontal slash, which was blocked with some difficulty due to the element of surprise. Not wanting to be outdone, Toya fought back after their blades collided twice more, taking advantage of Tsukasa's momentum to reposition himself to attack with a vertical frontal attack.

“Ugh-!”

Tsukasa managed to block, but took a few steps back due to the impact. Exploiting the blond’s lack of instability, Toya continued to attack consecutively at different angles to make him lose his balance further, and after a particularly strong attack, Tsukasa finally fell back.

No, he couldn't lose. Not with Rui so many people watching. Not with that good luck ribbon tied around the hilt of his sword.

He rolled to the side before Toya's next vertical strike hit him, invigorated with new determination, and he leapt to his feet, sword poised, delivering a swift slash with the momentum of the movement. This time it was Toya who fell to the ground with the impact, and before he could react as Tsukasa had, the prince was already on top of him, the sword pointed at his neck. The judge announced the end of the duel, declaring Tsukasa victorious.

The blond took a deep breath when it was finally over, and immediately helped Toya to his feet again, who, despite his defeat, was smiling pleased. The two set their swords aside.

“You fought really well, Toya!” Tsukasa said, giving him a side hug.

“You too, Tsukasa. I knew you would win.”

“How can you say that?! If it weren't for your last attack altering your center of balance, I wouldn't have been able to make you fall!”

They laughed softly together and waved to the crowd who were celebrating the end of the duel, and consequently, the games. Tsukasa received a small medal of honor for participating and a bouquet of flowers to give to the dedicatee.

Right, the tradition of dedicating your victory to someone else. The first person that came to Tsukasa's mind, oddly enough, was Rui, as he was wearing his good luck ribbon. But it would be strange, victory dedications were usually given to family members or lovers, and Rui was neither. Well, at least not until he made his courtship with Saki official.

Tsukasa ended up doing what he always does when he wins tournaments and duels, dedicating the victory to Saki and his parents. He would later thank Rui personally in the privacy of the palace.

The prince took leave of Toya and Akito, going their separate ways to meet their companions. Halfway out of the arena and towards the bleachers, Saki jumped up to hug her brother, being careful not to crush the flowers.

“It’s been so long since I last saw you duel! Glad you won!!” She started as soon as they separated, “Not that I wasn't rooting for Toya too, but I've seen more of his duels than yours.”

Tsukasa chuckled, handing her the bouquet intact. “Thanks, Saki~” He turned to the rest of the group, noting that Emu and Nene had already returned and had probably watched the duels along with them. “I hope it was fun for you too.” The prince said to them, watching Rui's expression, who was neutral and strangely quiet.

“It was super ultra mega WONDERHOY!!” Emu exclaimed, doing the usual ‘wonderhoy’ pose, a contrast with Nene's simple 'it was nice…' .

“Next time, we can duel each other!” The prince spoke, infected by Emu's enthusiasm.

“No, that's too much-” Nene interjected and the others laughed.

Eventually they decided to leave, as the games had come to an end with a final ceremony for the category winners, but not before Rui gave the good luck ribbons he promised Nene, Emu, and Saki. The two girls said goodbye to them and climbed into the Otori's carriage, while the others returned to the palace.

“Tsukasa, what's that in your hand?"

Saki asked halfway through, noticing that her brother's fist had been clenched since they left. The prince was grateful that Rui and Mizuki are in another carriage behind them, or he wouldn't know how to look at them.

“It’s a good luck ribbon…” He said, opening his hand to show her.

“How kind of Lord Rui to make you one too~” There was no way to deny. Saki also received a ribbon, and although they were different designs, it was the same ‘ Ruiesque’ style.

“Yes, it’s a beautiful ribbon.” He replied with a soft smile, looking at the ribbon, and Saki made a mental note to talk about it with Rui another time.

It didn't take long to arrive at the palace, and Saki soon said goodbye to the two before retiring to her rooms with her ladies-in-waiting, happily talking about the day they had spent together.

Before the two also separated to go to their own chambers, Tsukasa turned to Rui with the ribbon in hand, smiling.

“Thank you again for the ribbon, Lord Rui, it was thanks to this that I've won, I’m sure~. Don't forget about tomorrow, yes?" The prince said with a wink and walked away with a light blushed but happy face.

Rui couldn't say a word, he turned around, hiding his flushed face in his hands and trying not to scream. Tsukasa was so incredible during that duel, his expression of determination so handsome, that the noble couldn't help glowing in delight. When they met after the match, it took so much of him to hold back all of his excitement instead of pouring all of it over Tsukasa in public.

Not daring to turn around to try to see the prince walking to the end of the corridor, Rui took a deep breath and continued on his way to his chambers.

Tomorrow will be another long day.

Chapter Text

At the main entrance of the palace, Tsukasa was saying goodbye to Saki and her ladies-in-waiting. Like all ladies of high society, they were invited to an exclusive tea party for women, where they would spend the day eating, drinking, playing ( gambling? ) and gossiping.

It was a much-anticipated event among the ladies, and no one but the guests knew exactly what went on those occasions. As usual, since her coming of age three years ago, Shizuku Hinomori is the hostess of the tea party that takes place in her beautiful residence.

“See you at night, brother!~” Saki said goodbye one last time before getting into the carriage with the other girls and leaving.

Like a good brother, Tsukasa waved at them until the carriage passed through the main gate and out of sight. Normally on these days during the social season, the prince would spend the day in some gentleman's salon or getting done whatever royal duties he needed to perform, but this year things would be different, as he had invited Rui to spend the day with him.

Honestly, Tsukasa didn't expect him to accept it, but since that's not what happened, then his plan to deepen their friendship was certainly working, wasn't it?

Walking through the palace's glazed corridors, the blond stopped in front of a mirror that was in one wall on the way (something more common than one thinks), and analyzed his appearance one last time before going to meet Rui.

Since he wouldn't be leaving the palace that day, Tsukasa chose clothes much simpler than he usually wears. He discarded any suit or overcoat, opting to just wear a blue vest over his white blouse, and black pants that fit him perfectly along with black high boots. But he was still a prince, so he couldn't help but wear some kind of luxury; his choices were gold cufflinks with the royal family crest and a citrine brooch over his white cravat.

Perfect, as it should be.

Tsukasa made a sound of approval to himself and made his way to Rui's chambers. Once there, he knocked on the door twice. “Lord Rui? I am here, as I told you yesterday.”

The door didn't take long to open, and Rui came out wearing an equally casual but elegant outfit. Like Tsukasa, he was only wearing a black vest, but instead of a blouse, he wore a dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow and a yellow bow in place of a cravat; white pants as a highlight and long black boots. Even relatively casual, Rui looked refined as usual.

“I wouldn't forget about our meeting in only a day, Your Highness.” He said, laughing lightly and closing the door behind him.

“I wasn't serious-”

Rui chuckled once more, and by the way the noble was waiting, Tsukasa guessed he was ready to go, so the prince led them through the corridors to the royal library.

“Thank you for the invitation once again, Your Highness.” Rui commented along the way, looking genuinely excited.

"You are welcome. I've wanted to invite you since that day when we talked about our literary interests, but I didn't have a good opportunity to do so since every day is full of events.”

With every day having social engagements outside the palace, and Rui accompanying Saki on all of them, Tsukasa knew there wouldn't be any chance he'd have a free day before today. Luckily, Rui accepted his invitation, so his preparations wouldn't be in vain.

“Well, I’m glad the opportunity finally came~”

They smiled at each other and stopped at the entrance to the library, two large double doors with beautiful mahogany woodwork and details that Rui was sure were painted in gold. Two guards were watching the entrance, but they soon gave way when they saw the prince, opening the doors for the two to enter.

To say that Rui was impressed would be an understatement. The royal library is known for being one of the most complete collections of books in the empire, but he didn't expect over three grand floors filled with shelves with diverse books on every possible subject. The noble took a few steps inside, looking around in complete wonder.

The place was surprisingly well lit, with almost an entire wall occupied by large windows that let in natural light during the day, and when it got dark, chandeliers and lamps that lit up with luminous magic stones to avoid the use of candles. Being an aspiring scientist and alchemist, Rui knows very well how difficult it is to find stones of that size and potency, let alone maintain them frequently, so at that moment he mentally congratulated the royal family for taking the preservation of such a place so seriously.

In the center of the library, in front of the large windows, there was a large table with several comfortable chairs around it, besides some armchairs scattered around for greater comfort. Unlike other rooms in the palace, the library did not have any type of plant or flower, probably to avoid humidity in the place, and instead, the decoration was composed by the exhibition of paintings and portraits, and even some artifacts that were part of the empire's history.

“It's bigger than I expected…” Rui's voice echoed in the library's silence, and the doors closed behind him and Tsukasa.

“Didn't the Kamishiro family have one of the biggest collections as well?” The prince asked as he walked alongside an astonished Rui.

“Yes, my family has an extensive collection of books, but most of them are kept in research centers for students and scientists to use. The library in the Kamishiro estate is much smaller compared to this one.”

“Well, feel free to read whatever you like! If you want, you can even take some books to your chambers later~” He said, opening his arms a few steps in front of Rui, and then added, “That is, if you make a record about the borrow of the book. We don't want anyone assuming there's some kind of thief in the palace, do we?~”

Rui laughed lightly, wondering who would be responsible for keeping track of all the books and documents they had in that vast library. “No, we don't want to alarm anyone.” He said before turning down one aisle of bookshelves, his gaze skimming over the titles of the books as he went.

‘Etiquette for a formal dinner, Catalog of gemstones and their properties, Advanced painting techniques.’

They really had it all.

However, one title caught his eye. It wasn't a very thick or large book; it had a simple cover with a few arabesques of flowers, but its contents interested him at the moment.

“Courtship: Assorted Gifts for Assorted People.” He read the title aloud and smiled to himself, walking back to the center of the library to sit at the table. Tsukasa wasn't there, so Rui guessed he was looking for something to read as well.

The reason for his choice of reading at that moment was simple, as much as he knows how courtship works, he had never actually courted anyone before, so he did not know what to give Saki for her birthday. He couldn't just give a gift that he would normally give to people close to him, usually some invention of his own, that wasn't a worthy gift in the eyes of high society.

Ridiculous. He mentally grumbled as he flipped through the book.

Rui couldn't say that the gift options were bad, the author even gave some historical context. In ancient times, mystical beings fascinated people, and one of the common gifts of high society was a fan made of pegasus feathers, symbolizing pure and true love. Rui highly doubted that most were made with real pegasus feathers, but it's not like he could prove anything.

Another popular type of gift is a family heirloom. Of course, he couldn't just take one of his mother's jewelry that had been in his family for generations just to present it in a fake courtship, and also, that kind of gift is only for the later stages of a courtship.

Although people think he and Saki are at that stage already…

“Didn't like the book you picked?” Tsukasa commented when he saw Rui’s frown, appearing between the shelves with some books in his hands.

“Not exactly…” Rui sighed, closing the book for good and putting it aside, allowing the prince to look at the title.

'Gifts for courtship?… Must be for Saki.' Tsukasa thought it was very considerate of Rui, even though something inside him wasn't happy about it.

“And you, Your Highness? What kinds of gifts do you like to receive?” Rui asked when he noticed Tsukasa staring at the title of the book thoughtfully. The blond laughed awkwardly at being caught lost in thought.

“Any gift makes me happy!”

“That wasn't my question.” He said humorless. “What kinds of gifts do you like to receive?” Rui insisted.

“… This may sound strange for a prince, but I like it when I receive gifts that remind me of the person who gave them to me. Something personal, something that carries a memory.” Tsukasa said with a soft smile, unconsciously remembering the good luck ribbon he received from Rui the day before. “I don't care about the financial value of the gift, nor the grandiosity.”

Rui reciprocated with a smile of his own. "Is not strange. I prefer gifts like that too.”

“Oh… One more thing we have in common then~” The two laughed slightly embarrassed.

Tsukasa wondered if it was normal to feel self-conscious when he interacted with someone he wasn't quite close friends with, he had never felt that way when befriending other people.

“And what books did you pick?” Rui's voice once again caught his attention.

“Some short stories adapted for theater and others yet to be.” He responded by showing some covers. “But apart from those, I brought this one for you. I think you will be interested.”

Tsukasa handed over a relatively large book to the other. The leather cover was decorated with various elements, and its title read 'Traditions and Their Origins' in large gold letters. Rui took the book carefully, admiring the craftsmanship.

“Saki told me how you didn't know about the tradition of good luck ribbons before, so I thought you might like to discover other popular traditions outside the north.”

Rui blushed slightly at the prince's thoughtfulness in thinking of his best interests even when it was unnecessary. “Yes, thank you very much, Your Highness. This will certainly be a better read than the book I picked up.” They laughed and Rui opened the book carefully to read its contents meticulously.

Tsukasa chose the chair on the opposite side of the table, facing Rui's, and, like the nobleman, opened one of his books to read. Even though they were silent, concentrated on their own readings, the prince couldn't help but lift his gaze to peek at Rui from time to time.

It was mysterious how surreally the noble attracted Tsukasa's attention. Of course, his hair color was striking, but even so, he was someone who camouflaged his presence when he wanted to, which was often, at least in the capital; but the blond could spot him immediately no matter what location or crowd they were in, as if hypnotized. If Tsukasa wasn't the only one affected like that, he would consider it just part of Rui's natural charm.

“Something wrong?” Rui asked when he noticed one time the prince was looking at him, but the prince just shook his head with flushed cheeks and went back to reading.

A good time had passed since he looked at Rui, and this time, when he peeked at him again, the nobleman had his head and arms bent over the book on the table, peacefully sleeping. Tsukasa just chuckled at the scene and let him be.

When Rui opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was his gaze at table level. Confused, he finally lifted his head and let out a sound of annoyance from the pain in his neck because of his poor sleeping position on the table – nothing new, considering it's an inconvenient habit he has when he loses hours with his creations in his room at the Kamishiro residence.

The second thing he saw after sitting up straight in the chair was Tsukasa's amused expression watching him, the book forgotten in his hand. Rui stretched and blinked a few times to adjust his vision to the brightness. At least it didn't seem like it had been that long since he'd fallen asleep.

“Did you sleep badly these days, Lord Rui?”

Rui grunted low, stretching his neck and arms. "More or less. Sorry to put you through this situation.”

“Don't worry about it, I don't care.” Tsukasa managed not to say anything weird along the lines of 'you're strangely adorable in your sleep' .

Rui checked the grand clock on the library wall that showed it was four in the afternoon. It had been nearly three hours since they'd been there, and he was getting a little hungry. As if the prince could read his thoughts, Tsukasa spoke once more.

“If you don't mind, I've had the servants prepare afternoon tea for us in one of the gardens.”

Rui wanted to accept, but was conflicted between eating and staying in the library to enjoy more reading, since he slept most of his time there. Tsukasa laughed a little, reading his expression.

“I'll give you a permission to enter the library whenever you want to come back, so don’t skip meals because of that.”

“Very kind of you, Your Highness. Thank you.” He said, getting up from his seat. Tsukasa seemed to watch him a bit conflicted, finally deciding to speak after a few seconds of consideration.

“You know, Lord Rui, I haven't said this before but… You can call me by my first name. All who are close to me, I ask not to use formalities.”

“… Oh?” That was unexpected. Did Rui really have the right to call him by name? He understood that by now Saki was already a highly esteemed friend, so a first name basis with her was expected; but Rui thought that the kindness the prince had shown him so far was purely a formality on account of his false courtship with Saki. “If that's what you want… But on the condition that you call me without honorifics, Tsukasa.”

The prince felt a slight shiver when he heard Rui speak his name. It was just like the first time in the theater, his velvety voice certainly made his name sound sweeter than his title. Tsukasa nodded enthusiastically.

“Certainly, Rui.”

With a smile, they walked out of the library towards the gardens, leaving the books on the table for later. Walking would do well to wake up Rui, so he also accepted Tsukasa's proposal to walk around the gardens for a while until the servants finished arranging the place where they would have afternoon tea.

“You said you like plants and nature. Any reason in particular?” The prince asked to occupy the silence between the two.

“Most of my mom's research involves botany, so since I was a kid I've watched her work with plants.” Rui responds with a nostalgic smile, probably missing his mother's presence since he's been away from home for a while. “I also take care of a garden on our property in the north myself~”

“Oh? Then you will be able to identify the flowers in our gardens.”

“I should know most of them~”

It didn't take long for them to go down a staircase that led directly to one of the gardens, the sun still high, illuminating the vegetation. There were several paths between sections of plants and flowerbeds that formed beautiful arrangements of colors, some of them leading to different areas of the garden.

“What a romantic garden.” It was the first thing Rui said as he approached one of the flowerbeds.

“Because of the colors?” The prince deduced when observing the predominance of pink, red and white tones in that garden.

“I suppose you understand little about the meaning of flowers, Tsukasa?~” The way Rui's slightly teasing tone pronounced his name made him feel a certain tingling in the palm of his hands, but Tsukasa didn't let it affect his expression.

“Admittedly, not much. Just a few more common ones.”

“Very well, I will teach you some!” He pointed to a bunch of small purple flowers. “Those are Asters, they symbolize love and delicacy.”

Tsukasa hummed, watching attentively.

“Those are calla lilies, they represent beauty.” Rui pointed to white and long flowers, which exude elegance. “Now, surely you know that for some flowers, their different colors symbolize different things, right?~”

“Of course!” At least that much Tsukasa knew. He wasn't that ignorant.

“Camellias are one of those flowers, and there’s a bunch of them right there.” He pointed, and the two walked over to the flowers. “Here we have white, pink, and red. Do you know what each one means?”

Tsukasa shook his head, and Rui gave a small smile, as if he had already expected that answer. The nobleman crouched closer to the camellias.

“The white ones mean ‘you are lovely’ , the red ones ‘you are a flame in my heart’ , and the pink ones ‘longing for you’ .”

Each word was spoken softly, Rui gently caressing the petals of the camellias as he explained the meaning of each of the colors. The sheer beauty of the scene made Tsukasa blush slightly, but luckily he could blame the sun for the redness.

“These are carnations!” Rui turned to another nearby bush, “White ones represent pure and innocent love, pink ones mean ‘I will never forget you’ , and red ones represent deep love~”

The noble's look was one of enthusiasm, clearly excited to talk about a matter of great interest to him. He got up and looked at yet another flowerbed, smiling and moving closer to the flowers. Chrysanthemums , Tsukasa recognized in silence.

“These have a more varied meaning~” his affection remained the same, “The yellow ones mean slighted love, the white ones mean truth, and the red ones-”

“I love you.” Tsukasa said first, and Rui looked at him in surprise. “Ah- I mean, the symbology of the red chrysanthemums… They mean ‘I love you ’.”

"... Yes, that's correct."

Something about the way Tsukasa had said it seemed so sincere, and somehow it affected Rui deeply, making him blush and look away. No, he didn't want to think about the way he was feeling at that moment, the mere possibility that what he was thinking was true made him have a slight inner panic.

“Ahem. Let's get going?” Tsukasa called him, avoiding his gaze.

“Yes. Forgive me.”

They proceeded down one of the garden paths in silence, each taking their own time to calm their hearts from unknown and unexpected feelings. At a certain point, they arrived in a large area with a polished stone floor that gave access to a building with open walls.

“My birthday ball will be held here.” Tsukasa finally spoke. “Since Saki's birthday was predicted to be too cold to have an outdoor party, I decided to have mine here for her.”

“You really are a very generous brother.” Rui commented as they walked side by side to the center of the open-air dance floor.

“It's the least I can do for her.” He smiled and paused, looking around. “Speaking of which, Saki's birthday is in a few days.”

“Indeed. Why?”

“You plan on dancing with Saki on her birthday, right?” The prince asked, turning to him, standing in place.

“Naturally.” If they wanted to keep up the pretense of courtship.

“Well, obviously the first dance will be with me, but the second dance is pretty important too, so don't embarrass her with simple dances.”

Tsukasa said, reminding Rui that it was part of the etiquette to be the first outside the family to dance with your suitor if they wanted to court. A sign symbolizing the couple's commitment and a warning to others not to get in the way.

Rui chuckled, “I promise.” Then he thought for a while and added, “Would you like to test me first? Since you've been doing it for weeks~” he teased, but never expected Tsukasa to actually accept.

“Well- since you're inviting me so openly…” He held out his hand, waiting for a perplexed Rui to take it.

The noble reluctantly placed his hand over the prince's, a nervous smile plastered across his face, but that wasn't enough to make Tsukasa hesitate, and he quickly pulled him into the starting position of a waltz. The blond led them across the empty dance floor without music, spinning them with precision and Rui following him without difficulty, slowly letting the tension go.

“Ah- but if I'm testing you before dancing with Saki, then you should be leading!” Tsukasa noticed after a few seconds and Rui laughed.

“Not a problem~” Was all he said before switching positions with Tsukasa mid-dancing, promptly taking on the role of leading them, and twirling Tsukasa around a few times before continuing with the measured rhythm of the waltz.

“You dance quite well, Rui!~”

Tsukasa's light laugh was all the music Rui needed at that moment.

“When we were kids, Nene swore she would never dance with me again if I ever stepped on her foot again, so I've taken my lessons very seriously ever since~”

The two laughed without stopping the dance, which slowly slowed down to a simple sway and the base steps of the waltz, not taking up much space or movement. Rui didn't realize that unconsciously they got closer than etiquette considered appropriate for a dance between friends. Tsukasa seemed to notice this, as he broke away and they stopped dancing when a servant appeared the way they came.

“Your Highness, we have completed preparations for the afternoon tea.” The servant said, respectfully bowing, not showing any reaction to having seen the two dancing seconds ago.

“Thank you, we will head there right away.” The prince replied, and the servant bowed once more before withdrawing with the silence in which they arrived.

“Ready to go? The glass gazebo in the garden is Saki's favorite spot for tea.” The way the blond smiled at him made his heart mysteriously flutter again.

“Yes, let's go before it gets cold.”

And they went on their way, as if nothing had happened in the last few minutes. Ignoring their own feelings and worries, leaving them on the empty dance floor to, hopefully, be forgotten. The fear of overthinking it and it turning out to be real was greater than any selfish desires they might have.

So no. That day they’ve read books and smelled flowers. Nothing More .

Any contemplation could be avoided under the weight of their duties, and any consequence could be dealt with after the social season ended.

At least that's what they both think.

Chapter Text

Finally, one of the days most anticipated by high society had arrived: Princess Saki Tenma's birthday.

There would be no other events for the entire day, as everyone is busy getting ready as best they can for the grand anniversary ball that would start later in the afternoon at the royal palace.

There are many reasons people want to look their best for the birthday of the only princess of the empire. Some want to show off their status and wealth, others want the opportunities to forge relationships with the royal family and other nobles, and some even go hoping to find love.

Anyway, no matter the interests of others, because that year the biggest reason of all for the nobles to be so interested in attending the ball is the anticipation of an official announcement about the courtship between Rui Kamishiro and Saki Tenma. Everyone was just waiting for the long awaited moment to take advantage of what such a union could offer to the first lucky person who would manage to negotiate with the Kamishiro family after the news.

And of course the two involved in this were fully aware of this. And it’s also for this very reason that they wouldn’t give what everyone wanted.

“Once again, I wonder if this is all a good idea…”

Mizuki was in Rui's chambers, helping him get ready and checking all the details, as were all the other nobles. Rui just made a sign of unconcern, planning once again how to avoid invasive questions during the party.

“Don't worry about it, Mizuki. People might be suspicious, but it's not like they would dare to accuse me and Saki of anything.”

He said from his spot lying on the couch in the common room, flipping through one of the books he'd brought from the library that day.

That day… No, he wouldn't think about that day.

“Besides, high society might follow all these rules and etiquette, but they love to put their romantic view on everything that happens around them, as if the gossip were stories from books.”

“… You mean people won't mind not getting any official announcements because it entertains them?” Mizuki spoke perplexed and Rui nodded, closing his book and leaving it on the coffee table.

"Exactly! People want drama! Romance! Something to gossip about at tea parties!” The way he spoke sounded like that of an eccentric theater director, “Not announcing anything will make people curious and frustrated, and while some will probably question what we are doing, others will be deluded into the perception that we are 'young and innocent, testing the waters of love~ '”

His overly sweet tone, mimicking a lady melting over her romance novels, made Mizuki laugh from their spot nearby in the closet, piling clothes and clothes on the hangers.

“If they knew you…”

"See?~ Something good can indeed come from me not getting involved with society!” Rui hummed with a sneaky smile, turning over on his stomach still lying on the couch to look at them from the other side, but seconds later he was hit by a blouse in the middle of his face.

“Don't try to find excuses to be socially reclusive!”

He scowled at them, tossing the blouse somewhere on the floor to retrieve later, lying back down on the couch, arms crossed behind his head.

“Ah, by the way, a box arrived for you from your parents.”

Mizuki pointed to a well-packaged, medium-sized black box on top of the chamber's dining table. Rui immediately got up from the sofa, going to the box and unceremoniously opening it; inside was a jewelry box and a letter. With Mizuki peeking out beside him, Rui first opened the letter with his name on it.

“Greetings to our dear son,

 

How are things in the capital, Rui? Even though you write us letters once a week, it's still not enough to stop us from missing you… Besides, we have a slight suspicion that you're hiding some things from us! Just call it parenting sense. Gossip may take longer to reach the north but eventually we'll catch up, through your letters or not!

 

You know you can tell us anything, right? You are our precious son, Rui, we've talked to you about this before…

 

That aside, we were surprised when in your last letter you asked us to send you some jewelry that represented the North. At first we thought it was for Princess Saki, but we gave you a present to take with you when you left here. Did you finally take an interest in someone there?~ We told you that one time or another someone would light up your heart!

 

Anyway, as we didn't know what the jewel would be used for, we made a small selection for you to choose from. Have fun!~

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             With love, your parents <3”

Rui felt his face get redder and redder as he read the letter, and in the end he couldn't help but bury his face in his hands and groan in embarrassment. His reaction wasn't because of his parents exactly, Rui loved them from the bottom of his heart, but the way they understood him completely and managed to see behind him even through weekly letters, made him ashamed for not being able to be completely honest with them.

Mizuki's whistle made him finally remove his hands from his face.

“They nailed it, didn't they? Well, at least the part about you hiding something.” Then they let out a chuckle, “I hope I'll be there when they find out about all this~”

Rui didn't want to think about that, he could already foresee his parents' reactions when they found out about the false courtship with Saki. Probably first they would laugh at the absurdity of it all, then they would make a fuss about Rui not telling them or asking for help, and lastly they would blame themselves for having him go in their place for the social season and apologize, which Rui would insist it wasn't their fault, and he chose to go on his own.

Leaving the letter aside on the table, Rui took the jewelry box out of the black box and opened it. Inside were all kinds of jewelry for him to select from, necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, absolutely every kind, and they were all made from precious stones found exclusively in the mines of the north.

“You didn't inform me about this earlier. What do you need those jewels for?” Mizuki asked, still watching beside him.

“I'm going to choose some to give to Saki at the party.”

“But your parents said we already have a present.”

“Yes, the Kamishiro family has a present for Princess Saki in celebration of her birthday.” He first picked up a beautiful ring, analyzing it. No, it would be too much like an engagement proposal.

“Then why?”

“The gift is in conjunction with my parents. To keep the farce realistic, I need to give Saki a gift from me alone, and I'll take the opportunity to make a little scene about it! That way they will forget for a while longer about not receiving any announcements~”

He had a mischievous smile, too wide for someone in a stressful situation like his. Mizuki just nodded, understanding Rui's intentions with that.

“Well, since that's the case, I'll help you choose the best jewelry set for Lady Saki!”

And the two began to analyze all the jewelry sent by Rui's parents, seriously debating which ones would look best on Saki. After all, even if it was a fake courtship, a gift was still a gift; Saki was now great friends with Rui, and he knows she deserves the best of gifts.

The end of the afternoon had already arrived, and Tsukasa was checking one last time on all the party arrangements as the guests slowly arrived in their luxurious carriages.

“Guests are already entering the main hall, please coordinate everything perfectly. I have to be there in five minutes with the Emperor and Empress.”

“Yes, your Highness.”

The responsible organizers bowed one last time to Tsukasa and parted ways. Everything was right, every detail perfectly planned, Tsukasa made sure that night would be perfect for Saki.

He made sure his clothes were impeccable for the occasion, fixing the bow that held his small ponytail so that it wouldn't come loose during the party, and entered the hall through the palace's internal staircase. From the top, he could get a clear view of the nobles who already occupied the hall, and in the raised area with the thrones, were his parents.

Tsukasa wasted no time in walking over to them, briefly greeting a few people along the way. Arriving in front of his parents, he bowed to them before giving them a light, affectionate hug.

“The preparations are impeccable, Tsukasa!” His mother praised him first.

“As expected of my son.” His father said next, nodding approvingly.

“I'm just doing my duty like a star should!” He replied proudly, striking one of his famous poses and eliciting a light chuckle from his parents.

“Well, it's still a few minutes before Saki shows up, why don’t you go greet your friends by then?~”

With that Tsukasa turned to look at who had already arrived, the hall was filled with an energetic and expectant atmosphere, with lively chatter and soft laughter filling the air like a harmonious melody. Toya was already present with his family, Akito in another corner with his sister and Lady Kanade; Shiho was discussing something with Shizuku, accompanied by Honami, Ichika and Lady Airi; and Tsukasa saw at some point An talking with Lady Kohane, Lady Haruka and Lady Minori.

But of course what caught his attention almost immediately were the two nobles being announced on the main staircase to the hall. He asked his parents for permission and walked to the bottom of the stairs, meeting Rui and Nene.

“Good evening, Rui and Lady Nene!”

“Good evening, Tsukasa~” Rui greeted him back, the two receiving strange looks from Nene, who ended up deciding not to comment on the use of their first names. “I see you are as excited as ever.”

“Today is a day dedicated entirely to Saki! How not to get excited?”

“Indeed~” He chuckled, and Nene caught his attention by tugging on his sleeve.

“We have to greet the rulers, let's go.”

Tsukasa stepped aside for the two, watching them walk together to where their parents were seated. At some point during their conversation, the prince noticed Rui's face blushing and Nene's looked a bit exasperated, but they soon disguised it.

Come to think of it, Tsukasa still hadn't spoken to his parents about the courtship between Rui and Saki; it was impossible for them not to know about it, even though they didn't attend many social events, there wasn't any news or gossip that didn't reach their ears quickly. Tsukasa wondered if they already approved of the relationship between the two, and if he considered their expressions of amusement and joy as they talked to Rui… No, there was no reason to think about that. Today is a happy day after all!

Tsukasa lightly tapped his face twice, then flashed a bright smile. A few minutes later, everyone turned their attention to Saki's majestic entrance at the top of the imposing staircase. Her dress, meticulously chosen, was a masterpiece of shades of pink and white, which matched perfectly with her hair, carefully combed and braided in expertly elaborate braids, forming a graceful bun adorned by a few loose locks that affectionately caressed her delicate face; and on top of her head, a pink diamond tiara worthy of a princess as loved as she is.

Saki looked like she belonged in a fairy tale, a princess of the deepest and most sublime dreams. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of emotions, from joy to a touch of delicate nervousness. Every step she took conveyed the assurance of true royalty, born to draw attention and command respect.

Everyone gave way as she descended the stairs, first going to greet her parents as etiquette dictated. As they had done with Tsukasa, they enveloped her in a loving hug before ordering the celebration to go on, with the merry music playing again and people immediately rushing to congratulate the birthday girl as she stepped away from the rulers.

Tsukasa would not be left behind, much less stopped, from approaching Saki, and soon he was already in front of her. What the prince forgot is that he wasn't the only one people would open the path to Saki without questioning at that moment, as at the same time Rui appears from the opposite side, both of them approaching Saki with a smile.

“Tsukasa! Rui!” The surrounding people backed away a little, wanting to give the three the illusion of privacy as they were intently paying attention to the interaction.

“Happy birthday, Saki!” Tsukasa was the first to speak, hugging her excitedly.

“Thank you, brother, but you already congratulated me this morning!” She laughed, hugging him back for a moment before letting go.

“But in the morning is not now! There is no rule that prevents me from congratulating you as many times as I want.”

She made a playful face, and Tsukasa just didn't pat her head for fear of ruining her hairstyle. Meanwhile, it was Rui's turn to step forward, gently kissing the princess's hand.

“Congratulations, Saki~” He said after straightening up, “If you don't mind, I have a gift for you.”

Saki, and everyone around, watched intently as Rui took out a beautiful jewelry case and opened it to the view of the princess. He had mentioned to her about that little “show” previously the other day; about how everyone is salivating for stories, and that simple gesture would appease high society for a while longer.

“Oh! It's beautiful, Rui!” Saki gasped when she saw the beautiful necklace with multiple magical jewels that were pink and glittered like stars, extremely rare jewels that were usually only found in the northern territory. Of course she had informed him beforehand about what color dress she was going to wear to the ball.

“If I may-" She nodded without hesitation, taking off the necklace she was currently wearing and handing it to a servant before turning to Rui, who carefully placed the necklace on Saki. An absurdly sweet public act, and if anyone had doubts before, they certainly don’t anymore.

“Thank you so much, I will treasure it dearly~”

Tsukasa remained silent, his eyes taking in every detail of the scene before him, while his mind and heart held a turmoil of unknown emotions. And though a smile curved his lips, only he knew how forced it was; prevented from being a genuine one by the uncomfortable feeling that coiled in his throat, as if words and gestures were dammed up, unable to flow naturally.

A little voice inside whispered doubts and insecurities that he couldn't ignore, questioning the very validity of his feelings and appropriating what should have been a moment of joy. His dear sister's birthday was supposed to be filled with celebration, and Tsukasa felt absurdly selfish and terrible for feeling any fraction of a feeling that wasn't pure happiness.

After all, Saki, radiant and in love, finally found someone equally wonderful to court her with affectionate glances and delicate gestures, and everything pointed to a perfect union. And yet, Tsukasa found himself shrouded in discomfort, as if his own emotions betrayed him.

He looked away for a moment, his confused thoughts not reflected in his smiling expression, and took a deep breath. The prince once again found himself thinking about the origin of this feeling, something similar to what he had felt other times in Rui's presence, but this time it wasn't something exciting that left him breathless, but a feeling of suffocation that squeezed his core wanting to drag him to the depths of the ocean.

Deep down, where his anguish pointed him, Tsukasa knew he already knew the answer to all of this; but just like that day…

No, he wouldn't think about that day.

Everything was perfectly fine. Everyone was smiling, Saki was laughing at something Rui said, softly touching the new necklace around her neck that only enhanced her beauty and dazzled Tsukasa's eyes. He decided to step away for a while, at least until the first dance in a few minutes.

He took the first glass he was served, not bothering to check its contents, even though he had gone over the food and drink list at least five times before. Tsukasa just needed to keep walking, keep talking and smiling, the less time to think the better.

Eventually the prince ended up briefly retreating to one of the balconies connected to the main hall, a silent one that was with no sign of people other than Tsukasa. He sighed deeply, leaning on the railing and looking for any kind of comfort or answer in the stars that were already lighting up the dark night next to the moon.

“Tsukasa?”

The voice that called out to him made him jump in surprise, tensing his shoulders unconsciously, but then he relaxed as he processed the sweet female voice that spoke, and not a soft male one with the slight tilt of teasing that had grown so fond in him.

“Emu!” He turned around with the same smile as before. “I didn't know you had already arrived! Why didn't you come talk to me sooner?”

Emu reciprocated with a smile of her own that looked slightly nervous, looking at Tsukasa a little fearfully and with concern. The girl approached him on the balcony, stopping beside him as she fidgeted with her hands nervously.

“Are you okay?"

The question caught Tsukasa off guard. He swore that all of his interactions and expressions so far were perfect, nothing out of the ordinary for the brilliant Tsukasa Tenma.

“Haha, of course I am, Emu! Why the question?" He didn't let his smile falter for a moment, which only made her frown more.

“Your smile is forced. I got worried."

No no no. Tsukasa couldn't let anyone worry about him. The prince knew Emu was good at identifying the true moods and feelings of the people around her, but he didn't know that to the point where she could see through his act.

“Sorry to worry you, but it's no big deal, I'm just thinking about some things I have to take care of later.”

His smile softened to reassure her, and although Emu didn't look too convinced, she was kind enough to just nod and drop the matter, looking up at the starry sky with him.

“Is that why you're out here?”

“Yes, I thought a little cooling off would do me good.”

“If you say so…” Emu paused for a moment, squinting at him before working up the courage to continue. “We are friends, Tsukasa. You can talk to me about anything and I will do my best to make you smile!~”

With that he cracked a slight genuine smile, looking at her appreciatively. Tsukasa knows how considerate Emu is with her friends, and he greatly appreciates their friendship, but the prince doesn't want her to worry about his problems, especially during the social season.

“I know, Emu. Thank you~”

She smiled and walked away, backwards to the passage back to the main hall, waiting for Tsukasa to follow her.

“Come on, Saki's first dance will start in a moment!”

The prince forced his feet to walk, knowing full well that it would be inappropriate for someone like him to leave his sister waiting in the hall. The interior was noisy and hectic as before, and Tsukasa quickly made his way to the center of the dance floor that was currently almost empty for Saki.

“Sorry for the delay, Saki!”

Her sister turned to him, attracting the attention of her ladies-in-waiting and Rui who were also with her. Tsukasa focused all his attention only on his sister.

“You arrived just in time, brother~”

Her words were enough to indicate that the rest of the people on the dance floor should make room for the first birthday waltz. The prince sighed internally when he saw Rui walk away with the others out of the corner of his eye.

“Shall we? ~” Tsukasa held out his hand to Saki, who graciously took it, and they positioned themselves in the middle of the floor as silence fell around them, waiting for the music to begin.

The piano started the melody, and soon the string instruments followed along with the wind ones. Tsukasa guided Saki down the dance floor with grace and skill, spinning her with precision and making her beautiful dress flow around her in layers; they've been dancing together since they were kids and never stopped, only when Saki got sick back then after the assassination attempt. Every movement flowed naturally, and Tsukasa dared say that no one danced better with his sister than he did, both of them used to each other's dancing habits.

Saki smiled at him, Tsukasa smiled at her, and the prince couldn't forget about elegant hands gently placing the glittering necklace around her neck. It wasn't a gift that the prince would associate with Rui at first, but he knows that there is nothing more appropriate to present in a courtship. His smile faltered for an instant of distraction, and to keep Saki from noticing his slip, he twirled her away from him for a moment before pulling her back into the rhythmic waltz.

Did Saki tell him about what she was going to wear that night, expecting that she would receive such a gift? Or maybe Rui already knew her so well to the point of knowing what she liked to wear and what would go with her beauty. Tsukasa’s collar felt oddly tight now, making it difficult for him to breathe.

The necklace was beautiful, probably exclusive to the north. Maybe it was because of its magical properties, but why couldn't Tsukasa take his eyes off that piece of jewelry even if it blinded him? He tried to turn his attention to Saki's face, but his gaze unconsciously returned to the gift around her neck. Mesmerizing, just like Rui.

He promised himself that he wouldn't think about the implication of it all anymore, and his head ached mysteriously with his stubbornness of wanting to forget. Saki must have sensed his conflict, as she looked at him worriedly before another spin.

Everything is fine. The music is already ending.

In a few seconds, the two stopped in a complementary pose at the end of the song. Everyone applauded the ending, but Saki kept looking worriedly at her brother, wanting to ask if everything was okay.

“It's nothing, I just need a drink~” Tsukasa said to reassure her, “You still have a second dance, so just go ahead.”

Saki didn't want to draw people's attention to her already indisposed brother, that would stress him out even more and ruin the night, so she just nodded as Rui approached the two, smiling softly.

“Princess Saki, would you do me the honor of granting me your second dance?~” Just a formality, everyone knew that there was no one but Rui to take the second dance. No one except the two involved and the princess's ladies-in-waiting.

“But of course, Lord Rui~” She placed her hand over his outstretched one, trying not to look worried when Tsukasa walked away silently without looking at the two of them.

Murmurs echoed through the hall as the music didn't start yet, not because they noticed Tsukasa's attitude – probably only people like Emu and Saki would notice anything wrong – but rather in anticipation of the announcement they were eagerly awaiting. Tsukasa had heard nothing about an official announcement about the courtship, so it probably wouldn't happen that night, but just knowing that at some point it would become real made him anxious.

He couldn't silently go back to the balcony from before, not being the prince and Saki's brother, he had the duty to watch the second dance and celebrate along with the others. Yes, this was still a celebration, Tsukasa had to immediately get some control over himself.

The second waltz began to play and everyone fell silent again. The world seemed to move slowly around the prince; he couldn't take his eyes off the dancing couple, it wouldn't be polite or appropriate to show such coldness to his sister's happiness.

In the middle of the dance, the two exchanged whispers of a secret conversation for other people's ears, but of some fun subject for both, since they exchanged low laughs and sweet smiles right after. Tsukasa felt transfixed by the scene, the vision of a perfect, ideal couple.

Rui was fulfilling his promise to dance beautifully with Saki, much more than a simple waltz, but the prince could not properly appreciate his effort without unconsciously thinking about that day.

That day. The day he wouldn't think. The day he just couldn't contemplate on unless he wanted to pay attention to how he felt.

... But he did end up thinking.

And from the starry night sky he was a part of, Tsukasa felt himself falling.

He was falling.

Every sound of shoes dancing on the smooth marble floor.

Falling.

                                                                                   Every kind look.

                                                                                                                                                                       Falling.

                      Every delicate touch.

                                                                                                                Falling.

                                                                                                                                                                           Every soft smile on his face.

                                             Falling.

                                                           F

                                                                   A

                                                                            L

                                                                                    L

                                                                                          I

                                                                                                N

                                                                                                        G

He fell and fell. Until he got to the bottom of his heart, where if it was a literal fall, he would have crashed with a pathetic 'plaft', worthy of his failure as a brother and as a prince.

And so deep down, Tsukasa didn't find the same darkness as the night sky, but a brightness so bright that it blinded him, just like Saki's necklace.

He was forced to open his eyes to the light in the bottom, the light of truth, the light of his suppressed answers deep within his heart.

The truth that made him want to bang his head against a wall, hurling curses at himself, desecrating the name of every god in the pantheon, for that could only be some curse or punishment.

Tsukasa has always been the ideal prince, the ideal brother, the ideal son. He didn't deserve to be punished like that, whatever his sins, which according to his mind, didn't exist. For Tsukasa is perfect.

The light came into focus, and Tsukasa found himself once again standing in the hall, still watching the two dancing and looking at each other with such affection.

He wanted to scream, throw himself off the balcony, cry at Saki's feet begging for forgiveness. He was tearing himself apart on the inside while smiling on the outside like everything was more than perfect. All this just because what he feared most happened, and he wasn't strong enough to continue feigning ignorance.

All this because Tsukasa was in love with Rui. And that was a truth brighter than the burning sun itself.

Chapter Text

Doomed. He was doomed.

Out of all the people to fall in love with, it had to be the one he couldn't covet after. His sister suitor, heavens, maybe even her future husband!

Why was fate so cruel to him? Why Rui Kamishiro? Tsukasa knew that he and Saki had similar tastes and quirkiness, but falling in love with the same person is too much. He would never break the relationship between the two, so the best decision would be to walk away while he can.

… It's easier to say, isn't it? Tsukasa tried, after all.

After Saki's birthday ball, Tsukasa took the next day to be alone with his thoughts, making a basic excuse that he wasn't feeling well enough to attend events that day.

He barely left his room. He ordered that no one should disturb him under any circumstances, that the corridors to his chambers be empty until further notice. All this to avoid any possibility of anyone hearing his cries of frustration, lamentation, and despair.

What if tears fell like rain? If his eyes were red and his face puffy? This is something only his pillow knows.

It took some time for Tsukasa to come to his senses. Approximately 12 hours, actually. It would take a normal person days to go through all the stages of grief, but Tsukasa is a star after all! One would expect no less from him to be able to overcome his problems in such a short time… More or less-

But in the end, he accepted the situation he found himself in. He was in love with Rui, and he couldn't do anything about that fact. But even if it was his first and exciting experience of being truly romantically interested in someone, even if Tsukasa didn't want to do anything but declare his true feelings to Rui, it would be the worst of choices. After all, Rui already loved his sister, so any declaration on his part could only result in a tragedy worthy of the plays he loves so much.

Hah. Who knows, after the social season, he might write a play based on it and give it to Emu to perform at the Royal Theater. It would certainly be comical. And if he cried at the end, he could blame the script for anyone who asked.

As his first love was destined to never be reciprocated, Tsukasa decided what anyone in his position would: he would no longer get close to Rui. The prince would be satisfied with watching him from afar, just sticking to polite interactions. And so, after the social season, Rui would head back to the north and Tsukasa would only have to worry about him again after an official announcement between him and Saki. With luck, by then he would have forgotten any feelings for the nobleman.

On the second day, after all his freak-out, Tsukasa forced himself to look presentable under the watchful eyes of high society. There was nothing wrong with him, the prince was perfect, with no weaknesses. The pride of the imperial family.

“Tsukasa! How are you? I heard from Saki that you weren't feeling well yesterday and that's why you didn't show up to play cards with us…”

Rui went to greet him as soon as he saw him in one of the palace corridors, his brow furrowed with genuine concern and yellow eyes that shined with fondness. The way he now spoke his name unceremoniously and with enthusiasm was so…

“Don't worry, Rui, I'm perfectly fine now!” He responded by striking a practiced pose.

“I'm relieved to hear that~” The smile Rui flashed instantly made Tsukasa feel his face flush.

Apparently, to be aware of his feelings means to be affected a hundred times more than usual by the presence of the person you love. Before his realization, Tsukasa wouldn't have thought much of Rui's smile other than adorable, but now he noticed every minimal detail about the other. The way he played with his longer lock of hair when distracted, the way he bites his nail when worried, the twinkle in his eyes when he talked about something that interested him, and even the light bouncy walk when some activity pleased him. And unfortunately, absolutely everything about Rui attracted Tsukasa like a magnet.

Knowing that, that simple smile of relief from him made the blond scream inside. It would be physically impossible for Tsukasa to maintain distance from Rui until the end of the social season, so he had to change his plans and his mindset.

Once again, in his room that night, the prince mulled over his options. The essence of his feelings were not, per se, evil or bad. Everyone has the right to love someone, and no one can control who they end up loving, the only problem is the dilemma of his situation.

As long as nobody finds out about his feelings for Rui, everything would be fine, right? Tsukasa is a great actor. Every prince has to be, after all. He could do this.

Rui would leave after the social season, after that it would be months until the next time they saw each other, so in the second option he decided, Tsukasa would discreetly surrender to his feelings. He would revel in Rui's presence, engrave in his mind every detail about his being, so that when he was gone from his life, Tsukasa could at least say that his memories of him, although bittersweet, were worthy of a failed first love that he would cherish dearly.

Tsukasa would hug him like a friend, wishing with all his being that it was like a spring love instead.

But spring always suited Saki better. And he would gladly let her bloom.

It had been four days since Saki's birthday, and Rui was slightly melancholic, so to speak. He hadn't seen Tsukasa at all the day after the ball; another day later, when they finally met again, the blond was acting a little strange and evasive, exchanging a few words with Rui and keeping his distance, as if they were at the beginning of that social season all over again.

The big problem was on the third day, when Tsukasa seemed to have a sudden change in behavior once more, keeping Rui company whenever possible during the day. Rui didn't remember any diagnosis or gossip about the prince having any degree of bipolarity, so he hoped that on that fourth day, Tsukasa hadn't changed his mind again about how to act with him.

“Rui? If you don't keep pace with us, I'll leave you behind.”

Nene's voice caught his attention, and Rui quickened his pace to be beside her again. He chuckled in apology.

“Sorry, I was wondering if Saki and Tsukasa would arrive soon~”

Nene snorted at him, as if she already expected his mind to be lost in thoughts like that.

“Stop acting like a love struck lady this early, we haven't even made it to our picnic spot yet.”

“Love struck lady?- You know Saki and I aren't really courting.” He said it quietly just in case, after all, they were still in a public space.

“Who said I was referring to Saki?~”

Nene's smug smile made Rui speechless, blushing more than he would have liked, and before he could protest against her words, her friend quickened her pace once again to catch up with Emu, who was walking a few steps ahead of them with her brothers.

Was Rui acting like a lady in love because of Tsukasa? Surely she was just making fun of him, right?… Well, surely his relationship with Tsukasa had gone from the worst to the best quickly; and it's true that they had certain moments where if it weren't for the fake courtship with Saki, maybe someone would think they were having something going on… But in love? Rui Kamishiro? No no-

It's just that he found Tsukasa's laugh, however loud, charming. Or how his eyes seemed to shine like stars, and his hair reflected the sun itself. It's okay to admire quality traits in your friends! Wanting to hold his hand at any moment or talking to him for hours into the night were just consequences of a true and compatible friendship.

“Rui! You're going to play croquet with us, aren't you?!~” Emu came skipping towards him, and Rui realized they had arrived at the picnic spot.

“If that's what you want, how can I refuse?~” The girl cheered, pulling him by the arm to where a servant had placed the mallets to be chosen.

That day was fortunately of an extremely pleasant weather. The sun was shining in the sky, but not to the point of making him melt, with a few simple clouds that went along with the breeze, decorating the blue sky. Yes, it was a perfect day for high-society outdoor activities, specifically picnics, croquet, and walks in parks.

As expected, the Otori family invited Rui to join them in their private picnic tent in the park's best space, and of course the invitation was extended to the heirs of the empire. Rui left the palace early to meet Nene and Emu, Saki saying that she would wait for her brother and arrive together later, as she had also noticed a certain change in Tsukasa's behavior that worried her.

“My siblings said they will play later, so we can play the first match the three of us~”

“You mean you weren't going to wait for us, Emu?!" Tsukasa's indignant and dramatic tone only made Emu laugh. Rui turned to the entrance, not expecting to see them so soon.

“You could join us when you arrived!”

“And start at a clear disadvantage? Never!" He chuckled despite his words, and the royal siblings approached the three of them on the small makeshift field for the game, properly greeting each other.

“Well, we're here now, so we can all play!~” Saki said smiling, and Emu once again jumped up and down, going to get more mallets for everyone with Nene.

Meanwhile, Tsukasa went to greet the Otori family properly, leaving Rui and Saki alone for a moment. Looking around, the noble noticed the lack of certain three girls with the princess.

“Are your ladies not with you today?”

“I couldn't monopolize all their time, could I? They also have their own families to spend time with on a nice day like this~”

She didn't seem bothered by it, in fact she was genuinely happy for them, the perfect representation of a healthy relationship, Rui would say; not that he had many relationships as reference other than his parents.

“You didn't have to spend the day with me if you wanted to be with any of them.” He said, still not quite convinced, but Saki just laughed.

“Why wouldn't I spend the day with you and the others? As much as this is a false courtship, we are friends, aren't we? So of course I would love to spend time with you, Emu, Nene and Tsukasa~”

Rui returned the smile, relieved.

Friends… He already knew they were friends, but hearing the confirmation directly from Saki made him happy. Who knew he would make such great friendships during the social season?

“Tcharaam!!” Emu appeared again with Nene close behind, this time with mallets in hand. Of course, being Emu, the mallets were customized in different colorful designs, matching her bubbly personality.

Tsukasa returned just in time, and Emu distributed the mallets to everyone based on the design she thought suited each one. Finally, after everything was organized, they could start the long awaited croquet game.

“Do you usually play, Rui?” Saki asked as she waited her turn after Emu, who, with her bright pink mallet, ended up making the ball fall farther than she had in mind.

“Yes, it’s one of Nene's favorite games. But despite having played a lot, my skills are average.” He chuckled, watching as Nene hit a perfect shot through the first hoop with her green mallet.

“If you want, I can help you with your strikes, Rui. After all, a star prince like me is great at croquet!” Tsukasa intervened with a pose after also successfully getting his ball through the first hoop with his yellow mallet, albeit with less perfection than Nene.

“Very kind of you, Tsukasa~” He replied with a smile, but his mind started to imagine scenes with the suggestion.

Maybe Tsukasa would guide him not just by voice but physically. Perhaps the prince would approach him with that extraordinary confidence, place his hands above Rui’s holding the mallet, and tell him in an oddly soft voice what he must do as he demonstrated. Their bodies would be so close, Rui couldn't help but admire his physique; Sure, Tsukasa is shorter than him, but unlike the noble, the prince trained almost daily, so Rui imagines that perhaps he could feel a little more than the heat he radiated.

What are you thinking, Rui? How shameless!

He unconsciously scolded himself, taking the opportunity that it was his turn to play and hoping his moment of concentration would make his cheeks stop burning.

Rui and his lilac mallet positioned themselves and made a perfect strike so casually that Tsukasa and Saki wondered if it was beginner's luck… That is, until Rui continued to make excellent strikes.

“Didn’t you say you were average at croquet?!” Tsukasa exclaimed in bewilderment when Rui once again sent the ball through the hoop without difficulty.

"But I am. I never won against Nene in my life!”

“But that's a matter of Nene being too good, not you being bad!” The indignation in his voice was clear, but that only made Nene smile smugly.

“Ah-” Rui looked genuinely surprised, having never considered that option. Really, it's natural that if someone keeps playing with someone really good for so long, they'll end up developing exceptional skills as well.

In the end, the big competition was between Rui and Nene, with Tsukasa right behind trying to catch up with them for chances of winning. As expected, the prince's efforts were in vain, and after Nene was declared the winner, they decided to rest and let Emu play another game, but this time with her siblings.

“Next time I will emerge victorious! I will not let my guard down by thinking someone is an amateur.”

Tsukasa said as the four walked away from the Otori tent and went for a walk in the park. Rui laughed a bit exasperatedly, raising his hands in a sign of innocence.

“I thought we already agreed that it's not my fault! I just never really played much with someone other than Nene.”

“I am not convinced of that!”

“Enough of this arguing, you two. People are looking.” Nene scolded them with an embarrassed tone, even walking away from the two, while Saki just laughed at the interaction.

Several nobles were scattered around the park that day, certainly many mainly wanted to enjoy the great day, but most showed up at the last minute when they heard the rumors that the “acclaimed couple” would be in attendance, and high society just can't hold back on getting more gossip for their parties.

Saki, far more versed in the art of high society manners than Rui, is more than aware that the reason the area near the Otori tent is busier is because of the two of them. As far as she knew, someone would dare try to get Nene's or Tsukasa's attention only to open a breach for interactions between just the couple.

“Why don't we take the opportunity to take a rowboat trip on the lake? We can feed the ducks too~”

The princess naturally suggested, and everyone agreed with no problem. The lake’s rowboats only had enough space for two people, probably purposely designed for romantic situations, and it was the perfect way to satisfy the nobles' desire to see her and Rui interacting alone.

“You first, Your Highness~” Rui said with an amused tone, holding out his hand to help Saki into the rowboat first before following her.

They waved to Tsukasa and Nene as they rowed, the two preferred to stay on the shore and feed the ducks there to avoid unnecessary rumors involving them; and Rui swore he saw a strange expression of sadness on the prince's face as the rowboat slowly rowed away from the shore, towards the center of the lake.

“Ahh, finally no other people’s ears snooping around…”

“Did you suggest the rowboat for that reason?”

Saki nodded. They were far from the shore but in full view of the public, which indicated that they didn't need a chaperone accompanying them, and at the same time it was great for having private conversations.

“But that's preferable to having people swarming around me. You really are a genius for that proposal, Rui~”

He laughed. “Nene would disagree with you if she was listening. She has made it very clear that she disapproves of this decision.”

“I understand her concern, but with the rumors and my brother paying attention to you, I've had a lot more time to enjoy the events with my girlfriends~”

Saki looked genuinely happy, and Rui could only imagine how stifling the social season must be for her. Feeling pressured by her position not to expose her relationship, so that her loved ones don't go through the same suffocation, must be something horrible from what Saki has already talked to him about. Undoubtedly, one day they would make it official, and Rui hopes everything goes well, but the princess said that until then, she wants to enjoy a little more of the tranquility of a side of her life not exposed to the public.

“I hope Tsukasa isn't bothering you too much.”

“Worry not, Saki. Tsukasa has proved to be really amusing and charming company~”

She smiled in relief, happy that they got along so well, even better than she had imagined they would. At that moment, with Rui's sweet tone talking about Tsukasa, the memory of her brother lovingly looking at a certain good luck ribbon came to mind.

“Rui, may I ask you a rather delicate question?”

Saki interrupted the peaceful silence that had stabilized between the two, just listening to the sound of the ducks that gathered around the rowboat to eat seeds that they threw to them.

“We are friends, no need to be so evasive~”

“Do you like Tsukasa?”

“Hm? But of course I like him.”

The princess shook her head, disapproving of her own choice of words, and tried again.

“I meant if you're in love with him.”

That did make him react strongly, turning his head to look at her so fast that the rowboat rocked a little, scaring away some ducks. His face, though, was red.

“Wh-what?! No no, that wouldn't be possible-” The way he spoke seemed more to convince himself than Saki.

"Wouldn’t? I've been watching you two for a while now, and I think there's definitely some kind of flirty atmosphere going on~”

Maybe it was some kind of special skill Saki had, knowing how to read other people's emotions so well, probably developed from so much social interaction and all the romantic novels she read.

“I-”

Rui had pondered this possibility a few times before, mostly in the privacy of his room after a certain day in the garden with Tsukasa, but he just brushed his feelings aside with the excuse that it was just the excitement of having a friend with tastes so similar to his own; without a hint of scolding or hesitation for his ideas.

Lying to himself was the safest choice. During his almost twenty-one years, Rui had tried to find an ideal romance as the books described, but everything always resulted in lighter versions of the tragedies of theater plays. The children of northern nobles who interacted with him, either tried to take advantage of Rui and feigned great interest in what he said, or politely avoided him.

Over time, even knowing that he still had many years ahead of him to find someone, and his parents' insistence that that kind of thing happened by chance, Rui just decided to give up any possibility of someone genuinely liking him romantically and decided to save his heart, closing himself off emotionally to such feelings.

But even a stubborn person with no emotional health like Rui couldn't lie to himself with a confrontation as direct as Saki's. He sighed heavily, his face still flushed, and embraced the facts.

“…Yes. I think I can confirm that I have certain romantic feelings for Tsukasa.”

Saki looked excited at the confirmation of her suspicions, and moved a little closer to him with a twinkle in her eyes.

“That's great! Because I'm sure your feelings are reciprocated!”

He almost choked on air, widening his eyes at the blonde. His eyes unconsciously drifted towards the shore of the lake, focusing on the prince talking in the distance with Nene and some nobles.

“Maybe you've been reading too many novels lately, Saki-”

She took slight offense at the comment, crossing her arms with still, defiant, determination.

“If there's anyone I can read well, it's my brother! I've seen the way he looks at you when he thinks no one is paying attention, the tone he uses when talking about you; plus I've seen the good luck ribbon you made for him tucked away neatly on his vanity.”

Saki listed to prove her point, making Rui cringe in embarrassment with every word. What was this situation? His fake suitor telling him how the person whom he had fallen for actually had the same feelings, and even encouraging such romance!

“What do you intend to do with this information? Try to get the two of us together?” He chuckled, trying to distract his heart, “It's not like you can do that while we fool society with our courtship.”

The princess didn't flinch from that, if anything, her eyes actually shone with more determination and enlightenment than it should have.

“We need to tell Tsukasa about our fake courtship!”

“No!" Rui exclaimed, even getting up in the rowboat and almost losing his balance, but quickly regained his composure and sat down again, feeling the eyes of others when he drew attention to himself.

“… What if you're wrong and he doesn't love me? Besides that, we've come this far already, there's not much time left until the social season ends.”

He continued in a lower tone than necessary, looking over the shore to see if Tsukasa and Nene had seen his momentary panicked reaction.

“But you love Tsukasa-" Saki tried to insist, but Rui stood firm in his decision.

“I can deal with it after this is all over.” A lie, perhaps, “Give me until the end of the social season to talk to him about it. At least then I can flee back north with what little dignity I will have left after a rejection.”

Saki stared at him in silence for a few seconds, disapproval and doubt on her face, but reluctantly nodded, deciding to respect Rui's wish. She sighed heavily, going back to throwing seeds to the ducks, keeping up appearances for anyone watching.

“I hope Nene will forgive me for questioning her disapproval earlier.”

It was the last thing the princess commented on that subject, leaving Rui to sink into his thoughts about the real possibility of having his feelings reciprocated. 

It was a sweet fantasy, although slightly intimidating. Having someone who loves you for who you are.

Chapter Text

“And when Toya asked what was wrong, Akito turned completely red and left without saying a word!”

Saki couldn't help but laugh at the story Mizuki had just told them.

“I can’t believe I never knew this happened in all these years.”

It was approximately six in the afternoon, and as the second awaited royal birthday was the following day, no appointments were scheduled for today. Due to this, Tsukasa, Rui, Mizuki, Saki, and her ladies-in-waiting, were enjoying the day's afternoon tea in one of the palace's leisure rooms. Mizuki enthusiastically told stories of their time at the Imperial Military Academy, where they studied alongside Akito and Toya and through whom they ended up meeting and forming a friendship with Lady Ena.

Although Tsukasa attended the Academy around the same time, and even interacted with Mizuki a few times when in the company of Toya and Akito, most of his classes were held in the safety of the palace with private Academy tutors. Alone. Just him, books, swords, and the teachers.

“You’re not the only one, Saki. Mizuki rarely tells me about their adventures when they were away from the north.” Rui laughed from his place between Saki and Tsukasa, making the prince focus on his face with his melodious voice.

“It’s not like you’re interested in hearing about stories involving people you don’t know.” Mizuki argued back, but Tsukasa barely assimilated the answer, noticing a trace of cream on Rui's face from the choux cream he was eating.

The nobleman didn't seem to notice, and Saki was too distracted talking to Mizuki. Tsukasa instinctively raised his hand, ready to do the favor of wiping the corner of Rui's mouth without thinking twice, but his movement was lethargic and attracted the other's attention.

“Tsukasa?” Rui tilted his head adorably towards him, his gaze alternating between Tsukasa's face and his hand reaching towards him.

“Ah-” The prince blushed, caught in his trance, and retracted his hand to a napkin, offering it to Rui instead. “There’s some cream on your face, Rui-”

His eyes widened slightly in embarrassment, accepting the napkin and trying to clean the dirty spot, failing miserably.

“… More to the left.” Tsukasa instructed, and Rui finally managed to wipe the cream off his face, smiling in thanks at him.

The prince was acutely aware that the conversation around them had reduced in favor of observing the interaction between him and Rui. Not that he gave any indication of bringing more attention to it, just smiling back at Rui and continuing to sip his tea, internally praying that Mizuki's knowing look at him had no relation whatsoever to what he felt about the nobleman. No one could know.

Berating himself in his head, Tsukasa continued ignoring other stares. Despite what he had decided days ago after Saki's birthday, allowing himself contact with Rui moderately until the end of the social season, it was proving to be increasingly difficult to refrain from wanting to touch him at any opportunity. That moment with the cream was another one of those falterings.

How many times in the last few days had Tsukasa had to hold back from caressing his face absentmindedly? To fix his messy hair in the breeze? Of rising gently on tiptoe to place a kiss on his chapped lips? Certainly more than he would like. It even seems like the amount of time they spent together has increased these past few days.

Fortunately, such accidents hadn't happened yet, but Tsukasa felt his limit slowly approaching and preventing his rationality from acting in favor of his desires. No worries, social season wouldn't last much longer after his birthday; just one more month, and then most of the nobles would retreat to their summer villas in the countryside, cooling-off away from the hustle and bustle of the capital.

“It's a shame that Nene and Emu couldn't be with us today. They would love to know more about the Academy.” Rui commented, already involved again in the group conversation.

“Academy gossip, you mean~” Mizuki said, and he had no intention of correcting them.

“Unfortunately, Nene said something about final adjustments to the dresses they’ll be wearing tomorrow, so they’re busy today.”

Saki reminded him of another major source of anxiety that week: his birthday the next day. Everything was going as he planned, and he took the opportunity to use the preparations to avoid Rui's solo company a few times.

“It’s going to be a wonderful outdoor ball! I expect nothing more than the most beautiful garments for the occasion!” He laughed loudly, but no one commented on it, perhaps noticing the slight nervousness behind his voice.

“You didn’t have to choose the gardens for me, Tsukasa.” His sister tried to say, but he immediately denied it.

“I love the gardens too, Saki! Besides, I had no better idea.”

“Still…” She didn't finish the sentence, so Ichika continued the topic.

“The chosen garden is your and Saki’s favorite, isn’t it? I hope there aren’t any clouds in the night sky, it would be incredibly romantic to dance under the stars on that marble dance floor~”

The same dance floor that Tsukasa and Rui briefly waltzed on before Saki's birthday as part of the "test". Memories flashed through the prince's head at that moment, remembering how they danced carefree but always harmoniously, their hands fitting perfectly together; and for a moment, he innocently wondered if perhaps they could repeat the scene on his birthday.

No. Thinking about all that wasn't good for his heart.

“Well, I hope the weather is clear tomorrow.” It was all Tsukasa said about it, getting up from the table. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few more last details to check before sunset.”

The prince left the room before anyone could notice his reddened face. A half-truth; he really had to check some things, but mostly because Tsukasa needed time alone to calm down again.

Saki made a sound of disapproval as her brother fled the room.

“There goes my brother, pretending he’s perfectly fine…”

“I’m sure it’s just anxiety about tomorrow.”

Saki stared at Rui intensely, her eyes as firm as the day on the boat, and he understood perfectly what she was implying with that sentence. Not wanting to comment any further on that subject, especially in front of other people (even if they knew about the situation), Rui just shook his head and went back to sipping his tea.

Now that Saki had direct confirmation from Rui that he was in love with her brother, on more than one occasion she tried to talk to him about it, even trying to make excuses for him to spend more time alone with Tsukasa. Not that he was complaining about it, but if the princess was wrong about everything, those sweet memories would only make him gnaw with shame every time he remembered them. And Rui preferred to remember that love with bitter longing instead of just shame.

Was it really okay for him to be selfish like that? Not that a negative answer would change his feelings, although he secretly wanted that to be the case.

Regardless, Rui would delight a little more in the fantasy fed by Saki that his love was reciprocated. The world was brighter that way.

The following day, just as everyone wished, there was no sign of clouds in the sky as soon as the afternoon arrived and the ball began. There was still an hour before the sun would set, but its rays were already turning the sky orange in farewell to the day and welcoming the calm night.

Being the host of the ball, Tsukasa was already present at the venue from the beginning, greeting the first guests who arrived in droves in the garden; the carriages that kept arriving, lining up at the entrance to the palace.

His greetings were interrupted at some point for the arrival of his parents and Saki, the three of them wearing the highest quality clothes in the colors of the imperial family, just like him. And to think that there was a period when celebrations like this rarely took place at the palace…

Expelling such memories from his head, Tsukasa promptly went to greet his family, hugging them as soon as he got close enough.

“The weather is glorious and the sky will be full of stars tonight, my son. This is the purest proof that you are adored by the gods.” His mother told him first, gently kissing his head.

Tsukasa internally disagreed with that statement.

“The sky will be perfect for its brightest star! Me!” He struck an expected pose.

“Yes yes, only the best for the birthday boy~” Saki hugged him once again, and the three of them headed to the properly arranged and displayed royal seats.

“Speaking of which, Tsukasa.” His father began, sitting down, “Have you been interested in anyone at court? You never dedicated your second dance to anyone…”

It was a valid concern, since the heir to the throne is expected to at least try to court a few people until he finds the right one, and so far no attempt has been made. It was an old rumor in high society, 'the prince prefers to admire the romance of his plays rather than trying to find one for himself' . What’s wrong in waiting to find someone you are really interested in before courting? Tsukasa was grateful that his parents at least hadn't tried to set him up with anyone so far.

“… I'm sorry, father. I still haven’t found the right person.”

His expression was one of shame for his parents, but the shame was aimed at the lie he had just told. Tsukasa had indeed become interested in someone at court, the right person in his opinion, but who unfortunately was not only right for him, but for Saki as well.

“It’s okay, you’re still young. You have many years to go before you find someone.”

The prince smiled at his parents, hoping that they were right and that he would be able to get over Rui when the time came. Saki was frowning with slight concern – she had probably noticed something – and Tsukasa took that as a sign for him to go back to greeting the guests.

“Tsukasa!!” Emu crashed into him in a moment of distraction, but luckily neither of them fell.

“Emu- please don’t jump on me like that out of nowhere!” There was no point trying to scold Emu for that, the girl just kept smiling excitedly.

“The lights decorations are so sparkly shiny kira kira!!~” She twirled in place, arms outstretched toward the hanging lights, bright enough to illuminate just fine but not to dim the stars that gradually painted the sky as the sun set lower and lower.

“I'm glad you liked it. It’s been a while since we’ve used this garden for festivities.”

“It was a great choice! I can’t wait to dance with Nene under the stars~”

This reminded him that the noblewoman was residing with the Otoris during her stay in the capital, so if Emu was present it meant that Nene had also arrived; and on those occasions, where Nene appeared, Rui was there with her.

“Good evening, Tsukasa.” The soft voice came from behind him.

Speak of the devil.

“Good evening, Rui, Nene.” He greeted as he turned, and for a moment his eyes widened and he caught his breath.

How could someone look so good in every outfit they wear? Obviously Tsukasa probably had to give Mizuki credit for the outfit combinations, even so, it's not like everyone possesses such natural beauty as Rui. Somehow he managed to outdo himself that time, looking even more handsome than he did on Saki's birthday (or maybe that was more of a consequence of accepting his feelings for the other?).

“Happy birthday.” Nene offered first, and Rui nodded alongside her.

“You look regal as always~”

“Thanks.” Tsukasa beamed with sincere praise and watched Nene lightly nudge Rui with her elbow in a silent message. For some reason, the nobleman blushed at that, taking a step forward.

“Maybe it's a little too early, but I think you'll be too busy being the center of the festivities later. So if I may take a little of your time, Tsukasa.”

The prince refrained from saying, 'For you? Always.’ , and he nodded, smiling, guiding him to an emptier corner of the ballroom. There weren't many nobles present yet, and most were still busy greeting their parents, so fortunately there were few people around intending to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two.

“So?”

The blond started, encouraging Rui to continue. The nobleman raised his finger asking for a moment, and searched one of his pockets for something, seconds later taking out a small, beautifully decorated box. It wasn't unexpected, considering the situation, but Tsukasa certainly didn't imagine that Rui would mind giving him a gift of his own.

“I know I already gave a gift on behalf of my family, but since we are now friends, I thought you would be happy to receive something personal from me~”

Rui explained somewhat sheepishly, handing the box to Tsukasa and signaling for him to open it. The prince couldn't find words amid his surprise, so he promptly did as he was asked and opened the small box in his hands, his eyes then widening at what was inside.

“It’s not a big deal, but I hope you like it anyway…”

A light, golden metal dragonfly-shaped brooch with some gears, just like the one Rui showed him at Countess Asahina's ball. Unlike the one shown that night, this one seemed more detailed, intricate with small purple crystals that didn't affect its weight but sparkled in the light. Tsukasa smiled, genuinely happy for the gift.

“It’s just like the one you showed me!” He exclaimed without containing his happiness.

“It’s actually the same brooch.” Rui also said smiling, more relieved that his gift was well received, “You said that day in the library how you really like personal gifts that carry some kind of memory. And well, I thought this would be appropriate.”

“It’s more than appropriate! I loved it, Rui!” Tsukasa carefully placed the brooch back in the box, not wanting to break it in his moment of enthusiasm, already mentally thinking of some opportunity to use it.

“I made some small changes, as you can see. I optimized it a little more to better stabilize its flight and its lighting power. You can activate it by pressing a small button near the left wing. And of course, I beautified it a little more to make it fit for a prince to wear~”

Rui explained pompously, ending with a slight bow to Tsukasa, who laughed, rolling his eyes.

“You don’t need to consider what would be worthy when it comes to your ideas, Rui.”

“Oh? Since that's the case, don't tempt me to invite you to test my inventions in the north~” He teased.

“Maybe I’ll accept, what about it?” The two laughed together, as if they were alone in that outdoor ballroom, just like that day.

But no, that wasn't an invitation that Tsukasa could accept anytime soon. The cruel reality of his situation reminded him that he was already at the limits of his self-control, and that in the end Rui was already Saki's, and the prince could not remain so close to the one he held affection for if he wanted to let his heart give up and move on.

Something in Tsukasa's look must have been noticed by Rui, because they soon stopped laughing and remained in a silence bordering on embarrassment. Tsukasa kept the box, already closed, and looked at Rui for a few seconds before breaking the fragile silence between the two.

“I really liked the gift, Rui. I will keep it with care, just like I keep all of Saki’s gifts.” Yes, a gift worthy of matching the gifts given by his dear sister.

“I’m happy about that, Tsukasa.” Something about his voice sounded dreamy with a touch of longing. “I won’t take up any more of your time than I already have. Almost all the guests have already arrived, and you are the star of the night.”

The dim moon has no right to monopolize all the attention of the beloved sun.

“I will see you around, Rui.” Tsukasa replied with a soft smile. Rui was right, he had to fulfill his role as the birthday person; besides, it was safer to keep his distance from the purple-haired nobleman.

Tsukasa walked away from the other, back to where his parents were, already greeting people along the way. Rui sighed and turned to the other side, expecting to find Nene in one of the corners watching him.

He spotted her already dancing with Emu on the dance floor along with other couples. It was only a matter of time before they officially announced the courtship, and Rui learned that they planned to do so sometime next week.

Not wanting to interrupt, Rui approached the second closest person to him, Mizuki, who was observing the place in a nearby corner with a glass of champagne in their hand. They were already smiling slyly when he approached, probably having witnessed the entire interaction between him and Tsukasa.

“So, how was it? Did His Highness like the gift?”

Mizuki asked as if they didn't already know the answer, but Rui blushed lightly anyway. Naturally he told them about the conversation he had with Saki after the day on the boat, and to his surprise, Mizuki showed little reaction to his revelation.

“Please, we’ve known each other for about 9 years now, of course I would know when you fell for someone.”

The sentence made Rui snort in indignation and shame, as it had taken him so long to realize and accept his feelings. In any case, his friend supported him, although, like Saki, they didn't think his decision to not say anything about the fake courtship to Tsukasa was right.

“Yes, he said he loved it…”

“As expected.” Mizuki said smugly.

“I still can't believe you guys are convinced that Tsukasa has feelings for me. It's not like the things he says to me aren't said to other people close to him.”

Mizuki made a sound of disapproval, shaking their head and their index finger in front of Rui's face.

“No no, it’s not about words, dear Rui. It’s about the small details, like looks and intonation!”

The nobleman just rolled his eyes slightly, clearly not taking it seriously.

“Right, if you say so.”

The party venue was already full of nobles, so the two dropped the topic for fear of gossip. Night soon arrived, and the stars decorated the night sky beautifully, the decorative lights only complementing their beauty. Mizuki eventually went to talk to their friends, and Rui wandered around the ballroom aimlessly, dancing occasionally with Saki and a few other people who asked.

Overall, Rui was not interrupted or surrounded as many times during the festivities, once again affirming the effectiveness of his plan; but unfortunately, sometimes it still happened that he felt overwhelmed with attention and needed a break. Like that very moment.

He quickly tried to locate someone who could help him in this situation, but Saki was busy with her own friends, Tsukasa was talking to his parents, and Mizuki was dancing with… Lady Mafuyu and Lady Ena? Oh well. Rui just didn't see any sign of Emu and Nene, who had disappeared from the hall some time ago.

His second option in that case was to run away to some empty place with the excuse of needing to get some air. Yes, the party was already outdoors, but every self-respecting noble knows very well that that phrase actually means 'leave me alone for a few minutes', politely.

“If you’ll excuse me, I think I need to get some air.” That was all Rui said to the nobles keeping him company, leaving without hesitation as soon as they murmured affirmations and false understandings.

Ah, the magic of high society passive-aggressiveness.

Rui smiled to himself and headed towards a more distant area of the garden, taking a deep breath amidst the tranquility of the flower bushes, with only the music of the party in the distance. He thought he was completely alone, until he heard low laughter coming from a small gazebo in the middle of one path, probably some afternoon tea spot.

He discreetly approached the sounds, curiosity being stronger than him, and for a moment he found it hypocritical of him to criticize the nobles' gossip while he was doing pretty much the same. Rui peeked behind one of the white columns, not wanting to be spotted, but soon let out a chuckle of his own and revealed himself.

Sitting on the gazebo stone bench, carefree and unaware of the world around them, were Nene and Emu exchanging light and soft kisses under the moonlight, laughing in the secrecy and privacy of their moment. It's not like Rui wanted to interrupt the moment, but rather him than someone else finding them, and it was better that he at least instruct them to hide in a better place.

“Oh my, you two aren’t even engaged yet and are already sneaking out of parties to kiss somewhere? Scandalous, I dare say!~” He teased.

“Gyaa!! Rui!!!”

Nene jumped in surprise, quickly moving away from Emu when she heard his voice. The girl then looked at him, irritated at having their sweet moment interrupted.

“Hi, Rui!~” Was all Emu said waving at him, more giggly than usual and certainly happy.

“Shouldn’t you find a more hidden place in the garden to do this?”

He questioned, leaning on the same pillar he was previously hiding from. Nene was still frowning slightly, but she must have considered her position, and came to the same conclusion as Rui that it was better for him to interrupt them than others.

“We thought so, but the prince’s first dance will be soon, so we thought it would be safer to be nearby so we wouldn’t be late.”

“Ah yes, Tsukasa’s first two dances…”

“Hmm? Something wrong, Rui?”

Emu asked with slight concern, making space next to her on the bench and inviting the nobleman to sit with them with two light pats. Rui gave in with a sigh, sitting down with his head down.

“… I'm in love with Tsukasa.”

They looked at each other for a moment without reacting, until Nene spoke first.

“It was to be expected.” Emu agreed from her side and Rui gasped.

“Why is everyone having this reaction?!”

“We’ve known you for a long time, Rui. Of course we would notice if you started acting different towards someone~”

The sweetness in Emu's voice didn't help calm Rui's heart, who grunted again with his face hidden in his hands. He really hoped that his enamoredness would only be noticeable to people close to him.

“So, aside from the obvious problem that you're in a fake courtship with Saki, and knowing you, I know you won't want to reveal that to the prince; What is your current conflict?”

Sometimes Nene knowing him so well was both a blessing and a curse. Rui finally sat up straight on the bench, removing his hands from his face but still not looking at the two girls.

“… Saki said she thinks Tsukasa reciprocates my feelings.”

Which sounded too good to be true. And even though Rui reveled in the thought of truly being loved by the prince, what if it wasn't true? Did he even have the right to dream of a relationship with the blond, when the nobleman insists on hiding his feelings and lying about courting Saki? Tsukasa deserves someone better than him.

“And isn’t that good news?”

“I'm sorry, but I just can't fully believe in that possibility.”

Maybe Saki was wrong, and even if it was true, Rui was sure it was just because Tsukasa didn't know him that well yet. Certainly the prince would give up on Rui upon learning of his oddities and bad habits, and after that, he would find someone perfect to stay by his side and forget about Rui completely – or perhaps he would remember him as a person completely unsuitable for dating.

“Stop it, look at me.” Nene snapped her fingers twice in Rui's face, getting his attention. “I know that look. Stop thinking derogatory thoughts about yourself. We’ve talked about this before.”

There’s the blessing of Nene knowing him well. Rui smiled in apology.

"Forgive me. I just can't help but think that reality would be much worse than the fantasy I imagine.”

“Well then, let's distract you. Tsukasa’s first dance will start in a few minutes.”

Nene was right, the soft music playing in the background had stopped, indicating preparation for one of the highlights of the night. The three got up and headed back to the outdoor ballroom, where people were already forming a spacious circle around the dance floor, with Tsukasa and Saki in the center. Naturally, just like Saki's birthday, the first dance is always between the two siblings.

Tsukasa spotted Rui in the crowd as soon as he appeared alongside Emu and Nene, as if his brain, guided by his heart, could now instantly know where he was if in the same ambience as the prince. He smiled briefly at the nobleman before positioning himself with Saki in the center of the dance floor while the music began to play for both of them.

Dancing between the two was still natural. And even though this time Tsukasa wasn't succumbing to the conflict of his feelings in his mind, failing to enjoy the moment with Saki in the middle of the song like last time, the prince couldn't help but feel ashamed of himself. Would Saki forgive him for yearning so hard for her suitor? If he could – if it ever came to light - Tsukasa would beg for forgiveness on his knees.

But there he was, dancing with his beloved sister, once more not feeling the joy he should have. Tsukasa was sure the smile on his face was discreetly strained, but Saki didn't comment on it, happy to twirl with her brother to the rhythm of the waltz.

The dance eventually came to an end, and murmurs of anticipation filled the room; everyone waiting to see if Tsukasa would finally dedicate his second dance to someone specific or the honor would go to the first person who could get up to him and ask, as has been the case all other times.

Honestly, this kind of gaze on him wasn't the attention Tsukasa liked. He twitched subtly, not moving in place, and some people took that as a sign that no, his second dance was still available. However, Saki intervened with a sentence.

“Oh, I know! Why don’t you dance with Rui now, brother?~”

“Huh?!” The two exclaimed in surprise, Saki calling Rui with her hands for him to come closer.

“Don’t you think it would be a great opportunity?”

She said to neither of them specifically, but of course each considered it in their own context. Tsukasa thought that Saki would like him and Rui to keep getting along well and show this to the rest of high society, since at some point the nobleman and her would make their courtship official.

Well… A dance wouldn't hurt, right? What other time would Tsukasa have the chance to dance with Rui again? Probably never again.

“If that’s what you want, Saki, I don’t see why not.”

Tsukasa said in a normal voice, extending a hand to Rui with practicality, not expecting the other to actually accept it. He felt their roles reversing when Rui placed his hand above his, unlike that day in the garden when it was Tsukasa who surprised the other by accepting the dance request.

Seeing that the two were going to accept Saki's suggestion, the other guests once again gave space on the dance floor for the two; some visibly frustrated at missing their chance, while others looked confused.

They stood in the center of the dance floor, looking at each other in silence with uncertainty, hands still holding each other. Should Tsukasa start the dance? He was the one who invited him after all. Rui, noticing the other's hesitation, smiled slightly teasing.

“Seeing as today is your birthday, and last time I led the dance between us, I guess I can let you lead me this time, Tsukasa~”

The nobleman said with an equally amused tone; not waiting for a response from the other, placing his free hand on the prince's shoulder and pulling him closer, making Tsukasa place his other hand on his back, forcing the two to take the starting position for the waltz.

Tsukasa couldn't express a single word, just nodding and letting his body start the dance instinctively, guiding Rui through mechanical memory. They were so close; and although they hadn't yet said anything, their eyes spoke for them in a conversation that was completely incomprehensible, a jumble of feelings and the desire to just say everything , but without actually saying anything .

Any point of contact between the two burned like sparks, and the blond took a more confident stance, holding the other's hand firmly. Tsukasa could feel the warmth surrounding his heart and every strand of his hair, and for a moment nothing felt more right . They smiled at each other, like that first time they danced in that same place; genuinely enjoying themselves and blocking out everyone else around them.

“Oh my, they look so well together! I’ve never seen so much chemistry between two people dancing like this~”

Shizuku's voice broke Tsukasa's trance, and his smile disappeared.

“Don’t say things like that out loud without thinking, Shizuku! Lord Rui is already Princess Saki’s suitor.” Airi scolded her from her side, but that simple interaction was enough for the prince to become aware of everything again.

Suddenly everything seemed wrong . The welcoming heat from before now burned his skin to the bone, and Tsukasa had to get away as quickly as possible. They could no longer talk with their eyes, the blond looked down at the floor, his hands were sweating, and his breathing was bordering on labored. Rui tried to get his attention, worried, but without success until the end of the dance.

Tsukasa let go of Rui as if his touch burned – and in a way it did – drawing a confused look from the other, wondering if he had done something wrong. Tsukasa had to step away before he breaks out of his role and ruins everything.

“Thank you very much for the dance, Rui.”

His smile was forced in Rui's eyes. And when they finally went their separate ways to give space to others who wanted to dance, Rui could only think in fear:

'He knows.'

Tsukasa avoided Rui for the next few hours after the dance, occupying himself mainly with inane conversations, dances without actual feeling behind it, and of course, fancy alcohol to make him relax.

Did any of that help? A little. Enough to make him laugh with others and manage to briefly ignore his feelings. A surprising total of three full hours, until almost the end of the party.

His new ability to locate Rui anywhere proved to be a nuisance at that time, as the guests had finally let Tsukasa have some peace for himself in the ballroom, glass of champagne in hand, when he saw the purple-haired nobleman follow one of the garden paths to who knows where.

‘He wouldn’t get lost… Right?’ His concern was greater, and Tsukasa decided to go after the other, leaving his glass with a servant on the way.

The prince followed the same path taken by Rui, moving further and further away from the outdoor venue. When he finally saw him again, Rui was crouching in front of some bioluminescent flowers with a look of fascination on his face.

“Rui?” Tsukasa let his presence be noticed, watching as the other jumped in surprise, looking at him with a certain fear that the prince had not seen in him before. But fear of what?

“Tsukasa!- What are you doing here?” He managed to pull himself together enough.

“I should be the one asking you that.”

Tsukasa took the response as permission for him to approach, and he did so with calm steps until he crouched down next to Rui, who strangely insisted on not looking at him directly.

"Is it not obvious? I'm admiring these flowers! They are a rare species, and I noticed them earlier when I encountered Emu and Nene nearby.”

Tsukasa hummed in interest, his head strangely light, not caring about their proximity. Probably the effect of the residual alcohol on his body. Truth be told, Tsukasa was actually feeling kinda bad for treating Rui coldly at the end of the dance; he saw the look of confusion and worryness on the nobleman's face before they parted.

"I didn’t know that. I always saw them around here, so I thought it was a common species.”

“But they are not! Did you know that its luminous property comes mainly from magic? And that is why they are categorized as magical plants despite not having any special properties, just aesthetic.”

The prince made a sound of curiosity, allowing Rui to keep speaking his facts about those flowers, once again letting the barrier between them lower and the usual comfortable atmosphere between the two establish itself.

They were alone in the privacy of the royal garden; Some guests had already left, while the rest were dancing with the residual energy provided by their drinks. Rui said something enthusiastically about the flowers in front of him, but unfortunately the blond couldn't pay attention to anything other than the moonlight bathing the other's purple hair and his eyes shining with joy.

Tsukasa couldn't help but be drawn to the mysterious presence that was Rui to him. A reclusive nobleman but so charming and polite, that if you looked deeper, you could see the eccentricity he was famous for, but filled with a passion for knowledge and his genius ideas. It is precisely because Rui is apprehensive of showing this side to people that Tsukasa felt honored that he had opened up so much to the prince, although not yet completely.

He was perfect in Tsukasa's eyes. Isn't it natural to want to keep something perfect close to you? To be able to protect it from any evil in the world.

Maybe it was the remaining alcohol that still coursed through his body, leaving him with more courage and boldness than normal and locking away his prudence; but it's not that difficult to give in to your impulses when it comes to human selfishness for affection and desire, even more so when it involved Rui. And that's exactly what happened.

Tsukasa unconsciously moved closer to Rui than before, making the nobleman suddenly fall silent and look at him in confusion and expectation, not that Tsukasa noticed, as soon after his lips sealed with Rui’s in a sweet and unexpected kiss.

Could that even be a kiss? They were barely touching, such softness as a butterfly of a kiss, that Tsukasa didn’t know if it was real or not. But he wanted all of it to himself, fantasy or not.

It's natural to want to be selfish when it comes to love.

… ‘Lord Rui is already Princess Saki’s’ suitor…

But Tsukasa knew he couldn't steal that love from his precious sister.

As if a bucket of sobriety and rationality had been thrown at him, Tsukasa quickly separated from Rui, who was looking at him red and surprised without saying a word, one of his hands gently covering his mouth. The prince mumbled some excuse and ran away without looking back.

He ran and ran.

He ran as far as his breath could carry him. Away from the party, until he couldn’t hear the music anymore or see a single decorative light.

Because Tsukasa Tenma is not a fool, despite being an idiot. He knows that out of all the people he could fall in love with, Rui Kamishiro wasn't one of them.

Because he is a star. The brilliant heir to the throne. The older brother who would do anything for his sister. That would never ruin a relationship of hers.

Because he is a prince. Aware of his duties and responsibilities. And in his routine there is no room for his conflicting emotions.

But above all.

Because Tsukasa Tenma is a coward.

Chapter Text

Saki was right this whole time. Tsukasa actually reciprocates his feelings.

The ball was a whirlwind of emotions for Rui, to say the least. It all started well, he handed his gift to the prince and the blond seemed genuinely happy about it, despite the conversation not lasting many seconds and in the end Rui worrying he was actually being an inconvenience.

Then some more time passed and the first dance began. Rui couldn't look away from Tsukasa as he danced with Saki, secretly imagining himself in the princess's place and knowing that they would probably never dance together again. But who knew that Saki was so cunning that she could fulfill his desires without even knowing it? Or maybe she knew. It didn’t really matter at this point.

Who would let an opportunity like that pass by? Obviously he was surprised by the request, but Rui would never fail to accept it. Then the two danced together like that one time, and even under the eyes of so many people, it was as if they were alone in their own world, full of joy and passion.

But suddenly something changed in Tsukasa; The tension was palpable, and he refused to look at Rui’s eyes throughout the last part of the dance. It was certainly Rui's fault . How could it not be? He let himself get carried away too much; he let his feelings clearly show for everyone to see.

When they separated after the dance, a voice screamed in Rui's head:

'He knows'

He knows about Rui's true feelings. He knows, and that's why Tsukasa pulled away from him as if his touch burned him. Because Saki was wrong, and Tsukasa now despised him. Hated him. And Rui was afraid that everything would be ruined.

They avoided each other for the rest of the party. Rui knew very well that Tsukasa wouldn't confront him in public and cause a scandal; it would be much better to deal with this at some other time in private.

The nobleman felt bad for having ruined such a happy day for the prince, and at the end of the party, he decided to move away from the hustle and bustle of the outdoor ballroom to grieve alone with the flowers until the ball came to an end; at least that way he would have some distraction. His fear resurfaced when Tsukasa actually came after him in the garden.

What could he be doing there? Had the prince followed him precisely to defame him for his feelings, unable to wait until the next day?

But at no point did cruel words come out of Tsukasa's mouth, just the usual kind of conversation that the two commonly had, with the prince encouraging him to talk about his useless knowledge. And for a moment, Rui thought Tsukasa was willing to just forget what happened and pretend that things between the two hadn't changed.

But the impossible happened, and Tsukasa kissed him , with the flowers being his witnesses of that moment. And everything fell into place in Rui's head.

Tsukasa had not followed him because he wanted to reprimand him or make clear his lack of romantic interest in the nobleman, but rather to tell him that he felt the same as Rui. Since now that Tsukasa knew about Rui's feelings, there was only this reason for him to have gone after him and kissed him without warning. Because now he didn't need to hold back if he already knew that his feelings were reciprocated.

After the scene in the garden, Rui stood there perplexed for several minutes in the same place; his face red and in disbelief at what had just happened.

Tsukasa kissed him. And if it weren't for the vivid memory replaying endlessly in his mind, the trace of the warmth of Tsukasa’s breath, and the soft touch of his manicured lips, Rui would think he would have gone crazy.

Tsukasa kissed him, and then ran away. Honestly, Rui didn't blame him, if only for the simple fact that if it had been him in the prince's place, he would probably have done the same. But that was okay, because now he knew everything.

The nobleman didn't have the courage to return to the hall after that. How could he even look Tsukasa in the eye without turning into a blushing mess? Everyone would look at him strangely, wondering why the northern heir was acting so pathetically.

The best choice he could have made was to leave, despite the scolding he received from Mizuki after they were worriedly looking for him at the party for several minutes. Rui didn't explain to his friend why he ran away without warning, and promised that he would tell them the next day, when his heart was calmer.

But his heart hadn't actually calmed down, as at the moment he was still hugging a pillow, to which he let out muffled screams every time he remembered the kiss from the previous night again. Rui was alone, waiting for Mizuki to bring Saki, Nene and Emu to his quarters so they could have a collective freak out session.

“Rui?”

It was Mizuki's voice entering his chambers, and three other voices were talking about something as they entered together. Rui quickly abandoned his pillow and got up from the bed, going to meet the four of them in the living room.

"Woah. You are strangely giggly.”

It was the first thing Nene said when she saw him leave the bedroom, completely ignoring the fact that he was still in his pajamas and his hair was a mess. Rui made sure to make everyone sit down in the armchairs before speaking.

“You must be wondering why I have gathered you all here, my ladies.”

Despite his completely suspicious choice of words, at no point did his dreamy smile leave his face. And how could it? Rui had been swimming in the clouds for hours now; he didn't even know if he had managed to sleep or not the night before, being in a pure state of bliss without allowing himself to feel a drop of tiredness.

"Stop loitering. In two hours we have to go to the Shinonome family art exhibition, and you are nowhere near ready in those pajamas.”

He sighed at being denied fun, but agreed that they didn't have all the time in the world to talk and get ready. Rui fidgeted uneasily with his fingers and took a deep breath once before revealing the reason.

“You were right, Saki.”

His sentence was received with confused looks, but which gradually became clearer for the group.

“… Tsukasa kissed me…”

The room exploded with yelps of surprise and several questions coming from everyone at the same time, making Rui shrink a little in his seat with his hands over his ears, already expecting such a reaction.

"Calm down! One at a time, please! I promise to answer everything.”

They finally fell silent, although they were still restless. Nene was the first to ask.

“When?”

“Yesterday.”

“Is that why you disappeared from the party? To exchange passionate kisses with your new lover?~”

The way Mizuki phrased his sentence made Rui choke on air, turning impossibly red and waving his arms frantically in denial.

“It’s not like that! Tsukasa kissed me in the garden and then ran away. I wouldn't be able to act naturally at the party after that, I had to run away too! Me and Tsukasa-… We’re not-”

What were they now? Tsukasa loved him, now Rui had proof, but the prince fled before the nobleman could say a single word! Because of this, he couldn't confess all the feelings he wanted to for a long time. Because of this, they remained nothing more than a confusing indefinite.

“Wait, so you two didn’t talk about this?” Saki's expression of disbelief would be funny if Rui wasn't sinking into himself again.

“Well, Tsukasa ran away first, and then I didn't have the courage to go after him…”

“We can’t leave it like this, Rui!!” Emu stood up, strangely serious, going to Rui and holding both his hands between hers, looking at him. “He stole your first kiss and ran away without explanation! He owes you an apology!”

The nobleman choked again, turning red once more, but this time he could only mumble inaudible things until Saki intervened.

“I don’t think that’s the focus at the moment, Emu. But that they need to start courting properly!”

“Doesn’t talk about this come first?-” Nene asked, ever the voice of reason.

“Yes, I need to talk to Tsukasa.”

“Can’t you do both at the same time? If you court Tsukasa, it shows that his feelings are reciprocated, and this should calm him down. Then, when you have a chance to be alone, you can talk properly!”

Mizuki suggested, and Emu nodded. Well, that wasn't the appropriate way to deal with the subject, considering the rules of etiquette, there should be a confession first; but Rui wasn't sure if he would be able to contain himself until they could finally talk. The end of the social season was one of the busiest times, after all; with several invitations for the summer months, last business agreements, and of course, great last opportunities to announce official courtships and engagements.

“Hmm, I think I can do that… In the meantime, I will also think of a way to declare myself.”

“You do that, I will try to stay away from you two to help you~” Saki was already completely invested in bringing Tsukasa and Rui together, now that she had convinced the nobleman.

"Are you sure? We are still courting in the eyes of society.”

“It's almost the end of the social season anyway, and we've already spent so much time together that I doubt anyone else would disturb me too much in less than a month.”

“Well, as you wish. But if anything, you can come and ask me for help without hesitation, since you are helping me right now with Tsukasa~”

Rui said with a smile, taking the princess's hand and placing a kiss there; nothing more than a gesture of gratitude and promise, but also slightly teasing, since they've been doing this for so long that it's practically a joke between the two friends.

“Is everything going to be okay, Rui?” Nene sounded worried, but Rui didn't understand why, since now he and the prince knew about their mutual feelings.

“Don’t worry, of course I will try to declare myself to Tsukasa as soon as possible, I just won’t hold back like before~”

“Alright, alright. Just go get ready already then.”

Rui laughed lightly and skipped to his closet to get ready with whatever outfit Mizuki chose that day.

When the five were leaving for the exhibition, they found out that Tsukasa had already gone before them. On one hand, Rui was tense about being avoided, but on the other, he considered it as not being the only one deeply affected by the situation. He had never been in love like that, after all, much less having his feelings reciprocated.

During the journey to the renowned Shinonome Gallery, founded by Baron Shinonome himself with the support of the Otori family, Nene rebuked Rui's restlessness several times, reminding him that for high society, he and Saki were still courting.

Yes, that was still a problem, although they decided not to pretend so seriously anymore since they were at the end of the social season. Certainly they would reveal everything at some point, but this should be handled with care and numerous considerations, so as not to negatively affect the image of anyone involved. What would they say if Rui suddenly stopped courting Saki and got together with Tsukasa instead? Truly scandalous!

“We’re here!~”

Emu exclaimed as soon as she saw the building, several nobles arriving with them and entering to see the exhibition of one of the most famous artists in the empire. Rui, like an honorable gentleman, got out of the carriage first and helped everyone else get out afterward.

“It doesn’t even seem like an hour ago you were still in your pajamas daydreaming~”

Mizuki teased while they were still out of earshot, right behind Nene, Emu and Saki, who were already entering the building.

“I still have an image to maintain, nonetheless.”

Inside it was crowded. Extremely crowded. It was to be anticipated from a famous painter, but Rui expected that as it was already the third day of the exhibition, the number of people would have already decreased; This was actually the reason why Emu suggested going a few days after the opening day.

“Rui, there he is!” Saki whispered, appearing beside him and pointing to the other side of the room, to where Tsukasa was talking to someone.

“It’s your first chance!” Mizuki lightly pushed him towards the prince, who had not yet noticed their presence in the crowd.

“What should I do?”

“Just act normal!”

With a last push and a grunt from Rui, the nobleman followed with hesitant steps towards the prince, quickly greeting some people who stopped him in his path. When he approached, Tsukasa had already noticed his presence, and became strangely quiet.

Fortunately, the person who was with Tsukasa noticed that he was not wanted at the moment, and politely retreated to go eavesdrop from a less obvious location like the other nobles.

Act normally….? “Good afternoon, Tsukasa~” He expressed a wider than usual smile, and the prince narrowed his eyes at that for a moment.

“… Good afternoon, Rui.” He looked nervous, as if he was expecting the worst.

“You didn’t wait for us to come, did something happen?”

Of course something happened, yesterday happened, but it's not like Rui can just talk about it openly. The nobleman hoped that with this, Tsukasa would claim that something had indeed happened, and use that as an excuse so they could go to an empty room to talk. His face of surprise when the prince denied it must have been priceless to the spectators.

“I just had to sort something out before coming here, no big deal. Thank you for your concern.”

Tsukasa replied with a polite smile, showing no other exaggerated reaction, as if he was wearing a meticulous mask.

“Ah, alright…?”

“If you excuse me, I promised Toya that I would see the landscape session with him.”

Rui could only blink as the prince smiled once more and hurried away, heading to another wing of the exhibition. Unusual on Tsukasa's part, but Rui considered that perhaps he was still embarrassed, and indeed, talking about it during the exhibition didn't seem like the best time. Alright, he would find another opportunity to talk to Tsukasa.

Actually, trying to talk to Tsukasa in private was proving to be an impossible mission. Every moment it seemed like they would finally be alone, someone would appear to interrupt them or Tsukasa would have some urgent matter to deal with elsewhere. He acted as if that night had never happened.

Rui wouldn't lie, it hurt him slightly. Why did it seem like Tsukasa was avoiding him?

“That’s why you called us here this time?” Nene asked from her seat.

Oh, he had said that out loud.

"Well, yes. I wanted some advice and maybe help.” Rui confessed, watching Emu make a move that would put his king in check on the board between them.

“My brother gets embarrassed easily; besides, it’s not his fault he’s busy these days, so I don’t think you have much to worry about, Rui.”

The same group from the time he revealed Tsukasa had kissed him was meeting once again in his chambers, this time on a better organized occasion, complete with tea, snacks, and chess.

“Speaking of which, where is he today?” Emu asked after finishing her move, and Rui analyzed his possibilities.

“Some kind of recruitment ceremony of the Royal Military Academy. They hold this every year during the social season to attract more students. Not that they need it in the first place, the Royal Academy is already the most famous one.”

Saki said from her own match with Mizuki on the other side of the table. Rui hummed at this, casting a questioning look at Mizuki.

“And why aren’t you there?”

“I wasn’t invited. Besides, it's boring, I'd rather gossip about your life~”

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or not.”

Mizuki shrugged, and Rui turned his attention to his own board, making his move and seeing Emu smile mischievously.

“If you want, we can try to help you get some time alone with Tsukasa! Also, checkmate!”

Emu hummed and Rui sighed at Emu's victory, already expecting a result like that; it wasn't unusual for him to lose to the girl in the game. Anyway, the nobleman focused on the first part of her sentence.

“Would you all really do that for me?”

“Of course! That’s what friends are for, right?~”

Emu began preparing the board for another game while Saki pondered how to help.

“Oh! We don’t have any evening events tomorrow, so I can try to find a way to leave you two alone after dinner.”

Mizuki agreed to Saki's proposal. Dinners at the palace were usually only with the royal family, and only sometimes were Ichika, Honami and Shiho present, so it would be the perfect chance for Saki to leave the two alone.

“If it doesn’t bother you…”

"Of course not! The sooner you confess to Tsukasa the better!”

That sentence filled Rui with courage, and he nodded to everyone present with determined eyes.

He had decided. Tomorrow Rui would confess to Tsukasa without fail.

After kissing Rui in the garden that night, Tsukasa went through several emotional states in a short period of time, much like the day he realized his feelings for the nobleman. On one hand, he couldn't forget the light touch of lips between the two and Rui's surprised expression; but on the other hand, Tsukasa was beating himself up inside for having let himself be carried away by his stupid impulses.

He had ruined everything, hadn't he? Now that Rui knew about his feelings…

Tsukasa expected that his actions would be met with reprimand from the other, that Rui would argue with him as soon as he saw him in the morning. That was the reason the prince didn't attend their joint breakfast and left before everyone else for the Shinonome family exhibition. Tsukasa wasn't ready to be hated by Rui yet.

When the person of his affections went to greet him at the gallery, Tsukasa managed to remain neutral, knowing full well that neither of them would want to start a scandal in broad daylight in front of everyone; and when the purple-haired nobleman asked if there was anything wrong, by all means the prince had understood that the purpose of that question was to lead them into a conversation in some empty room. So obviously the blond refused, hoping that the two could pretend that night hadn't happened, and postpone any kind of conversation they could have.

But Rui was insistent, Tsukasa had to give him credit for that.

Contrary to what he envisioned, Rui didn't seem angry with him, and breaking all his expectations, the nobleman didn't seem to want to pretend that nothing happened. No matter how many times Tsukasa made some excuse to avoid them being alone, Rui always came after him with that incredibly sweet voice and soft eyes.

Tsukasa's conclusion was obvious: Rui had acquired feelings for him. Or at least it was the preferable version to 'Rui feels forced to accept Tsukasa's feelings just because he's the prince.'

Or maybe it was all an act, and Rui was just after power? And upon learning that the crown prince was romantically interested in him, the nobleman quickly discarded Saki and- No. Stop it, Tsukasa. You know Rui isn't like that.

Rui was not like those nobles who only think about money and power. He would never court someone just for social status, or even use someone for his own ends… Right?… Yes, right. All the interactions they had until that moment proved that Rui was someone incredibly kind and empathetic. Tsukasa wouldn't let the false rumors of high society affect his perception of the other.

Not that his situation would improve in any way. Rui couldn't fall in love with Tsukasa, forced or not. He refuses to be responsible for his sister's broken heart, and the prince was sure he was the reason the nobleman was spending less and less time with Saki during the festivities. If Rui was indecisive with his own feelings between Tsukasa and Saki, then Tsukasa had to do something.

… But did he really want to?

These were the thoughts that troubled his mind during the recruitment ceremony. The Academy headmaster spoke beautiful words with charisma, but Tsukasa didn't absorb any of them until the end. It was only when the speeches were over and the demonstration duels began that someone finally caught the prince's attention.

“Tsukasa?”

“Ah- Toya!” The prince had even forgotten that he had come to the ceremony with him and Akito.

“You weren’t paying attention to anything all day. Is something wrong?”

“No, no! It’s just… Some personal problems.”

“If you say so…” Toya sounded uncertain, but he decided not to insist at that moment. "Shall we go? Akito said he really wanted to duel with you today, since it's been a while since the last time.”

Tsukasa heard Akito complain in the background, something like 'I didn't say that!' , and the prince genuinely laughed for the first time since that night.

“Alright, let’s not keep him and the newbies waiting.”

Duels proved to be a great activity and distraction for Tsukasa, as he was able to take out all his anger and frustration on his blows, to the misfortune of whoever was fighting him at the time. And despite his distraction, Tsukasa won every match that day, earning him sounds of admiration from the novices and other nobles watching.

“Are you sure everything is okay? Usually your sword isn’t this crude and reckless, although still powerful.”

Toya tried to talk to him again after the headmaster announced the end of dueling demonstrations, taking newcomers, nobles, and students on a tour through the Academy and leaving the duelists behind to rest in peace. Tsukasa accepted a glass of water offered to him and wiped the sweat from his face before answering.

“I'm confused, to say the least… I don't know how to solve a problem I'm having.”

“And your solution is to take out your anger in duels instead of trying to find a solution?” Akito complained next to Toya, probably bitter about losing the three duels he had with the prince.

“You’re one to talk.” The blond replied snappy, finishing his water. “I'm trying, okay? It’s been days now.”

“If you want to tell us, we can try to help you.” Toya offered, but it's not like Tsukasa could tell him everything, unfortunately.

“I… I made a mistake, and now I don’t know what to do.” It was the most he could reveal.

Toya made a noise of understanding and thought for a moment. “Is this about Lord Rui?”

“Oh? Ah- well-” Tsukasa didn't know what to answer, not expecting Toya to know the exact source of his problems.

“Don’t be surprised. You two are usually always together during events and parties, but that hasn’t been the case these last few days.” Akito justified it for Toya. “Besides, Akiyama said something about it at some point.”

The prince sighed deeply, finally letting some of the tiredness that his internal conflict caused him show. He sat on the bench, almost as if in defeat.

“I did something I shouldn't have, and now it could affect Saki too.”

“And what would that be?”

Akito’s question was met with silence, and the ginger huffed the lack of response, earning only a slight nudge from Toya.

“You don’t have to tell us the details, but are you sorry for your actions?” Toya sat next to the prince, comforting him.

“… Yes.”

No.

“So wouldn't it be best to explain yourself to Lord Rui? Consider the consequences and see what is the best attitude to take in this regard.”

It was a simple solution, especially from the point of view of someone who doesn't see the entire picture, and Tsukasa was grateful that Toya and Akito even tried to help him when he clearly wasn't cooperating.

"Yes, you're right. I will do just that!”

And despite the cheer in his voice, Toya's soft look of relief, and Akito's weak eye roll, something extremely unpleasant was lodged in the pit of Tsukasa's stomach. He had already considered its consequences many times before, and the best course of action was obvious, but it didn't mean that his heart agreed with it.

Trying to divert the subject from himself and improve the mood between them, the prince smiled slyly at Akito and Toya, observing the almost non-existent distance between the two.

“The same applies to you. You don't need to tell me details, but know that I'm here to help if necessary~” It was a genuine offer despite its teasing tone.

Akito spat out the water he was drinking in surprise, Toya patting him on the back to help. It wasn't like they weren't aware that Tsukasa knew, Toya had told him a few months ago, not wanting to keep a secret like that from someone he considered like his older brother. A shame the prince couldn't keep the same level of honesty in return.

Tsukasa laughed and walked away from the two before Akito decided to challenge him to another duel, and went after the headmaster and his tour; it had been some time since he last walked around the Academy campus, and for now it would serve as a distraction to calm his anxiety until the next day.

He had decided. Tomorrow Tsukasa would end everything once and for all.

Chapter Text

The next day had arrived, much to Tsukasa's dread. His commitments for the day comprised visiting the botanical garden in the morning, having lunch with the Aoyagis, going to the museum right after, and finally an afternoon tea hosted by the Kiritani family. After all that, Tsukasa would be free to finally talk to Rui in some private place.

The events passed normally, even more lively than some days due to the approaching end of the social season, and the prince had already lost count of how many invitations to visit summer residences he had already received for himself and Saki.

Saki…

Tsukasa was not a fan of the gossip customs of high society, but being a prince, it is important to always remain aware and up to date with the rumors that circulate at court. And unfortunately for him, the most talked about gossip currently involved him, Saki, and of course, Rui.

Before, gossip involved expected subjects like 'the courtship between Saki and Rui', and 'Prince Tsukasa not approving of the relationship', and everything revolved around the love between the princess and the future duke. However, in recent weeks, the gossip has changed drastically to include him in what people now call a 'love triangle'.

How and why high society decided to start these rumors, Tsukasa only had a few ideas.

Certainly the main reason was the fact that Rui was accompanying Saki less and less during the events, being much more in the presence of Tsukasa than the princess. Because of this, Tsukasa has already heard the list of the following rumors:

1. Prince Tsukasa secretly loves Lord Rui (True);
2. Lord Rui stopped loving Princess Saki because of the prince (True?);
3. Prince Tsukasa wishes to steal Lord Rui from his sister (False);
4. Lord Rui wants a bigger fish, and that's why he changed his focus to Tsukasa and wants to seduce him for power (False…?);
5. There would be no official courtship announcement involving the princess until the end of the season (False).

This only proves, in Tsukasa's opinion, how much high society has a lot of free time on their hands as they spread these rumors without thinking about the consequences. And the worst of all is that not all of them were wrong.

Tsukasa couldn't allow that. They were tarnishing the image of the three involved in all of this. Tsukasa didn't want to steal anyone's love, Rui isn't a bad person, and Saki would not end the social season with a broken heart.

Hearing all that gossip throughout the day only made Tsukasa gain more courage and encouragement to talk to Rui that night. And then the prince could finally have peace in his heart; and of course it would hurt, but time is the best cure.

Dinner was tense for him. Rui and Saki filled most of the conversation while Tsukasa remained silent, only commenting when the word was directed at him. At least Rui still seemed to like Saki, so the prince had nothing to worry about the outcome of everything.

“Rui?” He caught his attention amid the sounds of cutlery against plates.

“Yes, Tsukasa?”

“Are you busy after dinner?” The question caught Rui by surprise, and he widened his eyes for a second before answering.

“No, why?”

“Would you like to join me on an evening stroll?” Tsukasa tried to remain calm with a slight smile, and luckily Rui didn't seem to notice his effort.

“Ah- I would love to~” The nobleman's cheerful tone was not compatible with Tsukasa's inner turmoil.

“Well, while you enjoy the night away together, I will retire to my quarters. Honami promised me some sweets if I didn't push myself too hard to avoid getting sick again~”

Saki said happily, finishing her dinner as quickly as she could without looking inelegant, and disappearing from the dining room in an instant. Rui laughed at that, the same sweet laugh that made Tsukasa's heart beat, but unfortunately this time each beat also made him suffer immensely for what he was going to do.

The two spent the next few minutes in silence as they finished their own dinners, until they finally stood up as the servants cleared the table. Tsukasa guided them through the palace with a calm that resembled the night, the two exchanging few words as they walked through the extensive marble corridors decorated luxuriously.

Tsukasa stopped when they reached the door of the royal library, inviting Rui to follow him inside, which the nobleman accepted without ceremony. The prince considered several places for them to talk; the gardens were too exposed for other people's ears, and their rooms were too private for an evening conversation without raising more unwanted rumors. Therefore, the library was the most suitable place.

“Did you bring me here so we could read at night? Any interesting new books perhaps?~”

Rui asked nonchalantly as soon as the doors closed behind them, giving them the privacy they so desired.

“… I'm afraid not this time, Rui.”

Tsukasa sat in one of the armchairs near the large windows, not trusting his legs not to shake and show their instability. Rui went to him with just a questioning look, sitting in the armchair opposite the prince's.

“You wanted to talk to me then?” The nobleman understood quickly, “If it was privacy you wanted, we could have gone to my chambers to talk~”

If Tsukasa didn't know the truth, he would think Rui was making fun of his internal conflicts.

“It works the same here.”

Rui didn't insist, but his eyes still shone. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you too, Tsukasa.”

That didn't sound good. The prince already had a feeling about what Rui would like to say to him. Tsukasa couldn't allow even a word of that sentence to come out of the other's mouth, so he could only go on the offensive first.

“Oh? I doubt it’s more important than what I have to say.” A light provocation, normal in interactions between the two; but instead of fun, it only brought tension to Tsukasa.

“Really? Well, proceed then~” Rui fell for it and Tsukasa took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a brief moment and assuming the necessary role for that occasion. As soon as he opened them again, he faced Rui with a strange calmness.

“I give you my blessing to officially court Saki.”

Silence.

Tsukasa watched a sea of emotions pass across Rui's face in mere seconds. The joy from before being carried away like a leaf in a river; replaced by disbelief, confusion, pain, and even a hint of anger. Yes, all those emotions made up the nobleman's sea, and Tsukasa already expected to drown in it… But only after he fulfilled his role.

“… What?” Were the only words that came out of Rui's mouth despite everything.

“It’s already the end of the social season, I thought it would be a good idea to show my support for your relationship.”

And that way, they could finally officially announce the courtship between the two before the season ended. That way, the rumors would stop, and everything would return to normal.

Tsukasa wanted everything to go back to normal.

“But that night in the garden- you-” Rui still didn’t believe it.

“That night? I'm sorry Rui, that was an accident of poor taste on my part. I must have drunk too much, and maybe it affected my rational side.”

Yes, it was a logical explanation and completely plausible, although it was also completely false. Tsukasa had been drinking that night, a fact, but he never did so to the point of losing control of his own actions. As much as he would like to deny it, approaching Rui and kissing him under the moonlight was his choice.

“What do you mean by that? I thought-”

“You thought I loved you?”

The words were like acid rushing through his throat, but Tsukasa didn't allow himself to break his role. Not even when only pain was reflected on Rui's face. If the prince had already fallen from his starry sky, now he was slowly sinking into that sea of unshed tears.

“I'm sorry once again for the misunderstanding, Rui. I hope this doesn't affect the relationship between our families, and that you forgive me, of course.”

Each lie was like a stab in his heart. Tsukasa expected at any moment that anger would completely take over Rui's face, that the nobleman would shout at him; After all, that's what usually happens when someone is rejected, right? But Rui didn't do any of that.

“Ah… Of course, Tsukasa. It’s okay, I understand.”

His soft tone didn't reflect the forced smile on his face. The nobleman stood up with his face down, skillfully hiding his expression from the other, and turned his back towards the door.

“If that's all, I need to go now… It's getting late. Goodbye, Tsukasa…”

“Goodbye, Rui…” Tsukasa replied in a whisper, not knowing if Rui had even heard him, having left the library in a hurry and leaving the prince alone.

Their goodbye seemed so much deeper than just parting words. It was as if they would never see each other again.

Tsukasa remained sitting in the same place, his role finally completed, and he allowed himself to hide his face between his hands.

'It was the right thing to do'

He repeated that sentence in his head over and over, like a broken recorder, to convince himself. His fists clenched tightly, nails threatening to break his skin, but Tsukasa didn't allow himself to shed tears until he was in the privacy of his room.

Time is the best medicine for a broken heart. For both of them.

After leaving the royal library in the most composed manner he could manage at that moment, Rui ran to his room as soon as he was sure that no one was around to witness his lack of manners, and promptly locked himself inside, shedding all the tears he could on his pillow.

Of course Tsukasa doesn't love Rui. Who would ever love him? It's a fact he had accepted a long time ago, he was unlovable.

Rui didn't know how long he hadn't left his chambers, barely eating his meals that the servants brought there. Mizuki came to check on him several times before deciding to stay there with him, even Saki, but he dismissed her with the excuse that he was terribly ill, a gullible lie due to his hoarse voice and terrible appearance.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get better before the social season is over~”

He said through the door, to a worried Saki who was on the other side.

“… What about Tsukasa? Did you talk to him?”

There was hesitation, disguised as a dry cough.

“I fell ill just when we were walking that night, so I didn't have a chance to talk to him. Sorry, Saki.” He laughed weakly and coughed again.

“It’s fine, as long as you talk to him when you get better.” She decided to believe him for now, worried about her friend's health.

“I will, don’t worry~”

A lie, but the princess didn't need to worry about that in Rui's opinion. They said their goodbyes briefly, so the nobleman could go back to rest, Mizuki keeping guard in the living room of his quarters so he wouldn't be disturbed, at his request.

Rui lost track of time after that last interaction… Two? Three? Days ago. And he was convinced that it had been almost a week since he locked himself in his bedroom. Not that he was needed for the festivities. Not that he was missed.

He is, after all, just gossip material. Just existing silently, the spotlight only falls on him when he wants it to; and at that moment Rui just wanted to disappear.

The nobleman took a while to realize, but at some point his tears stopped flowing and dried against his skin, leaving him in a strange state of apathy. No, it was more like the calm before a storm; like the receding tide before a tsunami.

Rui felt both out of his body and pressured by everything around him. Nothing made sense. Was this what it was like to go through the stages of grief? He would rather feel all of his distressing emotions than be in that empty state at the moment.

Yes, he was empty.

What was he missing?

Ah, of course, his heart.

Very poetic of him to describe his emptiness with his shattered heart, as if he hadn't been empty for a long time now. Perhaps Rui had only filled such a void with the resignation that he would be alone forever; But then he allowed himself to love once and everything changed. And look where that got him. To collapse again.

'Thank you very much, organ whose sole function is to pump my blood.'

In fact, Rui should give more credit to his heart. The simple fact that he is still alive is due to the resistance of his heart for not giving in to his sudden stress, the famous Broken Heart Syndrome, which can occur because of sudden emotional shocks and even cause the heart's tendons to rupture, leading to death.

Rui didn't study medicine, but several books and tragic plays like to implement such a condition in their endings, and of course he had to look for information to see if it was real.

Yes, he was immune to heartbreak despite experiencing it for the first time in his life. But maybe it was just because he was already used to loneliness, although he wasn't a complete pessimist.

If Rui were a pessimist, he would not continue investing in his inventions; he wouldn't write plays for Nene, Emu, and Mizuki; he wouldn't try to make new friends.

If Rui were a pessimist, he would never have allowed himself to fall in love.

His eyes opened after… No, he wouldn't try to count the time, it was useless. His room was dark, only a small sliver of light invaded the place through the poorly closed curtains, as if the sun was hitting his window inviting him to come out.

Unfortunately, the sun only reminded him of one person, so Rui forced himself to stand up on weak legs to block out that light once and for all.

The nobleman could hear from his position, standing next to the window with the curtains closed, the chirping of birds, servants chatting as they walk to their next tasks, the practiced march of patrolling soldiers. That familiarity was like he was back in his home in the north.

His home…

The air became thick around him again, and Rui had difficulty breathing for a moment. Everything was wrong, he shouldn't have been there. No matter what promises he made to Saki and others, Rui wouldn't get better as long as he stayed there.

The nobleman opened the door to his room with a strength that he did not expect to still have within him, despite his legs still feeling wobbly from the lack of physical activity in the last few days. Mizuki jumped in surprise from where they were sitting in the armchair in the living room of Rui's chambers, looking at him alertly and ready to leave to call for help if any emergency had occurred.

Their eyes just met Rui's determined and panicked ones, not entirely used to that level of light outside his room, shaking as he stood in the doorway.

“Order the packing of my belongings and preparation of our carriage. We will leave back north tomorrow.”

Something was wrong. Or rather, almost everything was wrong.

The rumors had not stopped, quite the contrary, they only increased, with only small additions to the plot. The reason? Rui hadn't attended any event in a week.

Saki had explained to everyone who asked her that Rui had fallen seriously ill, and was currently resting so that he could get better soon and return to the festivities, but although several believed her words, others decided to take their imagination further and invent new rumors.

‘Lord Rui got tired of playing with the princess.’

‘Princess Saki must have been rejected by him, and Lord Rui dare not show his face-’

‘Lord Rui never wanted anything serious.’

‘The princess must be heartbroken-’

These are just some of the many rumors that Tsukasa has heard over the last three days. And really, the prince did not know what had happened after that night in the library. He was completely aware that much of the blame for Rui not showing up anymore fell on him, but the blond hadn't seen him once to know if something else happened between him and Saki; he hoped that the nobleman would fall into his sister's arms completely, as there would now be no doubt about which royal heir to court.

However, nothing that he predicted happened, and Saki was downcast and stressed in those last few days. He knew she had visited Rui a few times, but nothing more than that. Tsukasa worried that maybe she really was heartbroken, and it was all his fault.

He waited for a moment when she was alone at the soirée that night, and approached her cautiously with a calm smile, wanting her to relax in his presence.

“Saki, is everything okay? You look pale.”

Even with his care, Saki jumped a little in scare at her brother's voice, showing how unaware she was of the world around her.

“Brother! Ah well, I’m just a little tired…”

“You know you can leave if you want to rest. I even think it’s better that way.”

He encouraged, genuinely concerned, and Saki nodded despite not making any move to leave; in fact, she looked at her brother pondering something for a few seconds before she decided to speak.

“Tsukasa… Did you talk to Rui a few days ago?”

The prince froze without dropping his smiling face. Why? Would Saki and Rui have talked at some point after that night in the library? It wasn't possible that Rui had dismissed Saki like Tsukasa had done to him. That would mean the rumors were real. No, no, that couldn't happen; Tsukasa swore he would not be the cause of the ending of the relationship between the two. Maybe Saki was just worried about Rui and asking if Tsukasa had visited him when he heard he had gotten sick.

“No, at least nothing relevant.”

He said in a normal tone, hoping that Saki would be satisfied with that answer and believe his lie. But Saki, brilliant Saki, widened her eyes slightly, staring at her brother with a mix of terror and disappointment.

She knew he was lying. And Tsukasa knew that she knew.

“I think I'll accept your suggestion and leave early, Tsukasa. Excuse me.”

The princess didn't give her brother time to reply, quickly crossing the ballroom towards the entrance, Shiho being the one chosen to accompany her at the moment. Saki had several questions for Rui, mainly because they had both lied to her.

'You heard? Servants are saying that Lord Rui is leaving tomorrow-’

Saki stopped in her tracks when she heard nobles whispering that phrase to each other, not believing her own ears. What do they mean with Rui leaving the next day? Telling no one, not even her!

Standing still for a few seconds, the gears turned in her head, and everything made sense. Rui locked up, Tsukasa's strange demeanor, both of them lying to her, and now Rui leaving without saying anything.

Saki walked again, determined, and left without delay back to the palace to first confront the nobleman who had become a dear friend to her, and who was now fleeing without hesitation.

Shiho could barely keep up with the princess's pace through the corridors, Saki's stress visible on her body; her breathing labored due to the physical and emotional effort that had been affecting her in the last few days. Without caring about it, the blonde stopped in front of Rui's door and knocked until she heard a voice from inside.

“If it’s about the extra luggage I brought, you can let it be taken back to the north at a later date-”

“You lied to me. You talked to Tsukasa.”

Saki interrupted Rui's hoarse voice, who took a few seconds to respond due to shock. A long sigh was heard from the other side of the closed door.

“Sort of, he talked to me first.”

“Then why are we in this situation?!”

“Saki… You were wrong.”

“What-”

“He does not love me. He never loved me.” His voice was bitter with the truth he was already accepting.

“This is not true! I know my brother!”

“He said it to my face, Saki!!” His voice choked for a moment despite no tears running down his face. “He apologized for the misunderstanding and gave me the blessing to officially court you.”

Saki was furious with that, her fists clenched and her emotions were on the surface of skin, and even though Rui couldn't see with the door blocking them from seeing each other, he felt it through her voice.

“Didn’t you tell him that our courtship is fake?!! You promised me you would!”

She hit the door once again, indignant at both of them, and Shiho had to hold the princess back, so she didn't end up hurting herself. Rui closed his eyes, disappointed in himself for causing such a reaction in Saki.

“How could I? It doesn't make any difference now. My feelings are not reciprocated, and my heart could not handle a second rejection.”

Hah. How ironic, considering the speech he had given earlier about broken hearts.

“If you’re not going to tell him, then I will!!” Saki raised the volume of her voice, clearly altered and increasingly breathless, struggling from Shiho's firm hands.

“No! You can’t! Spare me this humiliation, please, Saki!” Rui begged in despair, leaning against the door. That only made Saki ruffle more.

“And let it all end like this?! I won’t be a coward like you two!”

The princess screamed again, and slumped into a wave of coughing and weakness, her body reached the maximum limit of potent emotions and physical exercise she could handle. Shiho supported her worriedly.

“Saki, you need to rest.” Her girlfriend told her seriously, without letting her get up.

“No! I have to talk to Tsukasa immediately!” She tried to struggle, but ended up coughing even more.

“… Take her to rest, Dame Shiho. Her health is more important to you than any drama involving me.”

Shiho looked at the door for a few seconds, pondering with a frown what to do. Finally, she picked Saki up, lifting them both off the ground to head to the princess's quarters.

“Shiho!!”

“I’m sorry, Saki. You can talk to Tsukasa tomorrow, after you have rested.”

Rui sat against the door, listening to the footsteps slowly moving away along with Saki's verbal protests.

‘It was the right thing to do.’

Still sitting on the floor he was on, the nobleman remained there, not reacting even when Mizuki tried to convince him to sit in a more comfortable place. Rui is a terrible person. He lied to Saki, prevented her from telling Tsukasa the truth, and forced Mizuki to remain in his chambers with him so that they wouldn't tell Nene and Emu what happened. Maybe that was why he had no right to be happy.

Minutes turned into hours, or they were still just seconds in Rui's faulty temporal perception, and soon he heard firm footsteps coming from the corridor towards his door. Unfortunately, the nobleman could immediately recognize who those steps belonged to.

“Rui! How dare you?!” The loud voice he had grown to love, now accused him from outside.

“Tsukasa…”

“You were planning to run away after all?!” Of course Tsukasa had been notified of his departure, after all he was the prince.

“… You can’t stop me.” He said firmly.

“But what about Saki?! Can’t you see how much she is suffering because of you?!!” Tsukasa was less restrained than Saki with his voice, not hesitating to show his indignation.

“How about you? You think you have the right to play with my feelings like that just because you're the prince?! My suffering doesn’t matter?!!”

Rui stood up on shaky legs, his breathing quickening with adrenaline and frustration, and his voice beginning to show anger for the first time in a long time. Tsukasa always brought out different emotions from him, good and bad ones.

“I thought you would move on after I explained everything! You can't have feelings for both of us! So between me and Saki, it will be better to stay with Saki.” His voice softened for a second, but it didn't calm Rui.

“Now you also want to dictate my feelings?” An empty laugh came out of Rui's throat, in disbelief at what he was hearing. “Don't you understand, Tsukasa? I don’t and never have loved Saki!”

It was the confession he had been holding onto for so long, part of what he promised he would tell Tsukasa that night in the library. But Tsukasa was too blinded by his own emotions to process that information correctly.

“… So you were just playing with her feelings this whole time?!!!!” Tsukasa accused him even more angrily, slamming his fists against the door once.

“It's not that! We were-” But Tsukasa didn't let him finish the sentence.

“Are you selfish like that? Were the rumors true?! Were you just after entertainment or- or maybe just power?!”

The prince did not want to believe his own words. Said with so much indignation and without thinking, in an impulse of anger that took his whole body. Rui went silent on the other side of the door, allowing the same anger to consume his being, and miraculously tears threatened to flow again.

“… You dare assume things about me after all this time?! You choose to believe rumors rather than stop and listen to me?!!” He almost screamed, hurt.

“I can’t tolerate people treating Saki’s feelings this way, not even you!”

“Enough!”

The door opened with a bang, making Tsukasa almost lose his balance as he jumped back, looking at Rui with wide eyes. The nobleman looked horrible, to say the least; his eyes were red and swollen, his hair was messy, and his clothes were crumpled without an ounce of importance. His appearance was so different from the elegant and composed Rui that Tsukasa was used to, that the prince almost didn't notice the glove being thrown at his face in fury.

“Tomorrow at noon. The location will be the same as your birthday ball.”

“What are you-”

“You offend not only my honor and dignity, but Saki's as well. Let’s follow the traditional rules and duel.”

His voice was almost cold and lifeless, and Tsukasa looked at him perplexed for a second, not believing the direction Rui took their discussion.

“Well then, Your Highness ?”

His tone was so acidic that Tsukasa was once again overcome by impulsiveness, violently picking up the white glove thrown at him that had fallen to the floor, looking with the same intensity back at Rui.

“I accept. Don’t think about running away before our duel.” The prince growled and walked away, marching with firm, irritated steps.

Rui closed the door loudly after that, breathing heavily against it, barely noticing Mizuki's worried look on the other side of the room.

“Why did you do that? You two could have finally talked properly!”

He took a deep breath, finally turning away from the door and drying the tears that flowed again, making a stinging trail on his sensitive face.

“I would not dare to bring these personal problems to my family and strain the relationship between the north and the imperial family, so the best solution is a duel for honor. Obviously it won’t be to death, so there’s no need to worry.” His rational response only made Mizuki frown.

“It’s not about that, Rui-!” They tried to beg the nobleman to see the absurdity of it all, but he interrupted them.

“Everything is already ruined, Mizuki. It matters not my feelings for the prince. Whether or not he hates me. He insulted me and our friendship… Well, ex-friendship now.”

Rui deflated from all the anger he felt, letting tiredness consume his body again as he fell onto the sofa, staining the cushions with the insistent tears that had been missing for days.

“And the day after tomorrow… The day after tomorrow I will truly forget about Tsukasa Tenma and permanently cast him away from my heart.”

'It was the right thing to do.'

Chapter Text

The sun once again invaded his room through poorly closed curtains (evidence of Mizuki's attempt to get him out of there), and judging by the intensity of that single beam of light that insisted on bothering his eyes, a few hours had already passed since sunrise.

Not that counting the hours made any difference to Rui, he hadn't slept that night (like many others), unable to calm his turbulent mind, fearing he would have nightmares, or worse – sweet dreams of the deepest of his impossible desires. The only time he needed to pay attention was at noon.

Rui finally stirred on the messy bed in the middle of a disorganized bedroom, probably his first sign of life since he locked himself in the room again after Tsukasa's visit. With a grunt of discomfort and exhaustion, he sat up and looked at the clock on the wall, which stared back at him as if it laughed in his face with every movement of its hand, counting each last minute towards his departure to his death.

No, it wasn't his literal death. Rui refuses to die because of a failed first love, just like many stories he has read tell. He would simply kill the love he still had for Tsukasa, for everyone's sake, especially his own. Once again his selfishness spoke louder.

In a quick movement that instantly made him regret it, Rui got up from the bed and looked at himself in his full-length mirror on the wall. He was still horrible, probably a good representation of how he felt inside; with his hair looking like a bird's nest, his clothes partially worn and wrinkled, and his face so devoid of emotion and color. He remained empty inside.

Well, vases are also empty and they are still beautiful, right? The least Rui could do to honor traditions was to dress appropriately for the occasion. The nobleman ignored the pain and fatigue in his body and walked to his closet, calmly analyzing each piece hanging.

He wouldn't ask Mizuki for help that time, not that they would enjoy helping him, but it wasn't like he could choose something that didn't match if it was all black. Yes, black; it is the most suitable color to go to his funeral in a few hours. Tragically and unnecessarily poetic, the murder and burial of his first and only love, but Rui couldn't help but be dramatic when it came to his life.

Rui finally selected his clothes. Nothing unusual from his usual style; a blouse with long sleeves and tight cuffs, simple, tight pants, a vest, high boots without heels, and finally gloves; all in different shades of black with minimal details in silver. Etiquette would approve the design for a duel, but perhaps not so much for a funeral, despite the correct colors.

Screw it, it was his own funeral, he could dictate the rules this time.

Looking one last time in the mirror, not bothering to try to fix his hair or hide his tiredness with makeup, Rui left his room when the clock announced eleven o'clock in the morning. Mizuki was sitting on the couch with a book in hand, and they raised their face to look at him disapprovingly, clearly understanding his purpose in his choice of attire.

“Shouldn’t you be wearing white?” That was the first thing they asked, looking back at the pages of the book, despite clearly not paying attention to them.

The official rules of modern duels dictate that both duelists must wear white, since instead of it being a fight to the death, as traditional duels were, the first one to bleed and stain their clothes with their own blood would be declared the loser. A much more “peaceful” way of carrying out duels.

“Can’t a man now choose the clothes to wear to his own funeral? I refuse to soil the pure white with my tainted blood.”

He said flippantly, his eyes scanning the table where his breakfast was cooling on a tray, but he wasn't even a bit hungry (it had been days since he last was). Rui again diverted his gaze to Mizuki, who was now looking at him in alarm, the book completely discarded at their side.

“Rui, you don’t plan-”

“I will not die, Mizuki, if that's what you're worried about.”

Mizuki didn't confirm it verbally, but their face revealed relief at the reassurance that Rui didn't literally plan on dying anytime soon.

“Have a little faith in me, will you?”

Mizuki scoffed at his words, rolling their eyes. “How could I? You decided to challenge the prince to a duel instead of talking and resolving everything without the need for bloodshed.”

“There is nothing more to talk about, Mizuki. Any other attempt will end in tragedy; so let our swords cut through any remaining arguments and go on with our lives, as before.”

Rui adjusted his own gloves, searching the room where his sword was, brought from the north only as a formality and never expected to be used during the social season.

“You know very well that this is not the best solution. You won’t be able to carry on with your life as before.”

“Even if I wanted to, there is no other solution. It’s either that or my family’s reputation.”

Mizuki hated it. As despite all the wonders that wealth could bring, those who held such noble titles in that society ended up being forced by them to remain within a mold, following traditions and worrying about something as intangible and fundamentally unnecessary as honor and reputation.

“… I will never understand these unnecessary sacrifices.”

Mizuki huffed and finally got up from the couch, going over to Rui when he finally found his sword, fastening the leather sheath around his waist and drawing it.

“Aren’t you even going to tie your hair up?”

“There’s no point keeping up appearances at this point.” Rui said with resignation as he tested the grip of his sword. It had been so long since he had held it. “I will leave right after the duel, before any new rumors can emerge. You can stay and come back with Nene later.”

Mizuki noticed Rui's lack of strength, the way he had to work harder than usual to make his hands stay in place without shaking. If only the nobleman had taken good care of himself during his days of isolation, but he's an idiot who doesn't take care of himself even when he's in a good mental state.

“Someone has to keep you company when you go talk to your parents, and Nene is busy at the moment receiving congratulations from other nobles.”

Rui looked at them with a raised eyebrow, his sword making the characteristic metallic sound as he sheathed it again at his waist.

“Last night, she and Emu finally made their courtship official for high society.”

“Ah- It’s a shame I wasn’t there to see that. Good for them.” It was all he said, with a wistful smile on his face.

“If you had spoken to the prince-”

“Enough of this, Mizuki. It’s not possible to change the past even if I wanted to.”

Once again they huffed and turned their back to Rui, irritation and despair slowly becoming visible in them. Mizuki’s gaze alternated between the closed door and the armchair they were previously sitting in, a clear doubt in mind.

“Go if you want. Whether it’s saying goodbye to whomever you want or letting someone know what’s going to happen in less than an hour.”

'It's not like any action you take will change anything.' The unspoken words hung in the air, and Mizuki glared at him angrily at that. Without thinking twice, they left the room with determined steps, ready to prove to Rui how wrong he was.

The nobleman remained standing in the same place, alone as usual, but his face showed a strange grim expression, his own kind of determination. The clock showed half an hour to noon.

Rui took a deep breath, rubbing his red, sensitive eyes, and finally left his chambers for the first time in a week, slowly walking to the place where everything started to go wrong.

Tsukasa had started his day normally as always. Waking up very early, eating breakfast, and checking to see if there was any news that required his immediate attention. Unfortunately, his nervousness prevented him from concentrating on any of these routine activities, and now the prince stared at the clock in his chambers as he checked his dueling equipment one last time. In this case, just the sword at his waist.

The blond, after calming down in the silence of solitude, admitted to himself that he let himself be carried away too much by anger and his strong emotions. He could very well not have said certain things, tried to talk to Rui before accusing him of things that there was no proof, but you can't cry over spilled milk. Tsukasa knows that Rui's aggressive reaction is partly his fault, and now neither of them could take it back. Back to how they were before.

Rui confessed to never having loved Saki, and even though Tsukasa didn't know all the details about it, it still infuriated him. It was as if the nobleman was playing with his and Saki's feelings, although the prince still didn't want to believe it. Could the friendship between the two, something that blossomed long before any love, have been just a pastime for Rui? But he always seemed so sincere.

Argh. He was tired of thinking about it all. It didn't matter anymore, since the duel would take place in less than an hour.

In accordance with modern rules, he wore his usual duelist outfit, only entirely white, except for some gold details on his vest and boots. His hair was tied tightly into a low ponytail that fell over his shoulders, his signature bangs framing his conflicted yet determined face. Tsukasa was ready to bear the consequences of everything; the weight of his sword at his waist constantly reminding him of the purpose of it all. To put an end to them without ruining anything other than their friendship.

If it weren't for the anger that still circulated in his body, Tsukasa would probably burst into tears again due to the anguish he felt. But he wouldn't cry again, not in broad daylight. His first love would be carried away by the summer breeze in just a few days.

With one last look at the clock in his quarters, Tsukasa took a deep breath and took the first step towards the door. Just as he was about to open it, the prince heard running footsteps in the corridor, along with some voices of protest.

“Tsukasa!”

Saki invaded his room with an expression he had never seen before, a mix of anger and concern. Her face was red, as if she had run a marathon, and Tsukasa could see Mizuki and Shiho outside the door, both serious.

Tsukasa felt something hit his face and make a loud sound, and his cheek burned immediately afterward. He raised a hand, covering his attacked cheek, looking wide-eyed at his sister, who still had her hand raised.

“Saki?!-”

“What’s this about a duel?! Why are you dueling for no reason?”

The princess said with an accusatory finger pointed at his face, taking firm steps towards him and making Tsukasa retreat back to his quarters. However, Tsukasa didn't allow himself to be perplexed for long, taking a defensive stance and an equally indignant tone. Why was Saki mad at him? He wasn't dueling for no reason! The duel was for all the lies and manipulations she suffered!

“I'm doing this for you! For both of us! Rui was the one who challenged me first.”

“Why are you doing this for me? There’s no reason!”

“Saki, Rui lied to you!” It hurt for him to say that, but Saki would know the truth one time or another. “He never loved you from the beginning! He played with both of our feelings.”

Saki's expression softened for a moment, filled with confusion, but then anger flashed back in her eyes.

“Wait, so in the end he insists on not telling you?!!” The princess stamped her feet on the ground in anger, her fury now aimed at someone else, and Tsukasa naturally let his guard down as well.

“Tell what?”

“Tsukasa, Rui and I never really courted. It was all a pretense to get rid of the other nobles!”

That confession immediately shook Tsukasa's mind. What? Why? It couldn't be true- Why didn't they tell him sooner? All this time he suffered so much to ensure that the two of them would be together… But now it all made sense. The way they eternally postponed announcing the courtship officially, how Saki didn't care about the rumors, how Rui enjoyed spending time with Tsukasa more and Saki didn't show offense. Rui.

Tsukasa snapped out of his trance, not noticing when he had frozen in place. He widened his eyes at Saki. “So when he said he never loved you-”

“It’s because we’ve always been just friends. The only person he loves is you!”

“… Only me…?” He blinked a few times. Rui only loved him this whole time. “Did you know all that?!”

“He promised me he would tell you!” Saki screamed in frustration.

The night in the library… Oh no.

“… I argued with him before that.”

“I know. You both lied to me.”

Tsukasa had left his initial anger completely aside, despair taking over all his emotions, and the prince finally felt adrift on a stormy sea, not knowing what to do.

“I- I need to talk to him. I need to apologize and this time hear his side of the story!”

He felt himself start to shake, but Saki gripped his shoulders, looking at him seriously despite being slightly flustered.

“Hurry up, before he leaves if you don’t show up for the duel.”

Tsukasa nodded, a fresh wave of determination washing over his body at Saki's words. He could not under any circumstances let Rui escape once again; not now that he knew the truth and that everything could be as he dreamed.

The prince ran out of his room without waiting for anyone, knowing that Shiho would take care of Saki, and Mizuki would probably follow him without much delay. His mind only had a single thought at the moment: Rui.

He ran and ran without stopping, just like that day in the garden, but this time he was not a coward running away from his actions, on the contrary, he would fix all the consequences caused.

When Tsukasa finally arrived in the garden, in the open space where his birthday had been held, Rui was already waiting with his sword in hand. The nobleman slowly turned when he heard Tsukasa's footsteps, and the prince remained silent for a few seconds, catching his breath and absorbing Rui's state in his mind.

He was in chaos, more so than the night before. His face was pale and there were deep dark circles under his eyes, as if he would faint at any moment; the blond had never seen him with his hair down, and despite it being messy, Tsukasa couldn't help but think about how he would like to run his hands through those strands. But Rui would be much more handsome with a healthier appearance and hair as well cared for as always; yet another incentive for them to resolve this soon, this time in the correct way.

“Am I that hideous? I even dressed up for the occasion, Your Highness.” Rui said with a fake smile on his face. The return of his title being said by him made Tsukasa shudder with sadness.

“Saki told me everything. About the fake courtship between you.”

He decided to say it at once instead of playing into Rui's game. The smile instantly fell from the nobleman's face, different emotions passing before his eyes, and he raised his sword towards Tsukasa.

“Is that what’s this about then? Now your look makes sense.” He says with unexpected mockery and a pained smile. “Now you know that Saki and I have always been just friends, that you insulted me for no reason, that… I truly loved you.”

“Yes, then please, let’s cancel this duel!” Tsukasa said hopefully, taking another step towards Rui, but he reaffirmed his hold on the sword.

“I don’t need your pity!!” He shouted angrily, threatening to attack him if he got any closer, “If not for my honor, then this duel will be for my feelings that you played with!”

“I- I know I said all those horrible things. I admit I was cold to you that night in the library. But I was lying!”

Tsukasa continued with his calm tone, ignoring the threat and approaching again. Rui's eyes glowed dangerously, and if it weren't for Tsukasa's great reflexes, Rui's sword would have hit him. The prince quickly drew his sword and defended himself with it, making a loud metallic sound resonate across the open space, his ear ringing for an instant.

“I will no longer believe your words! I don’t need you to feel bad for me!!” Rui was completely enraged, gripping his sword with both hands tightly and pressing it against Tsukasa's.

“I’m not saying this out of pity, Rui!”

“Shut up!!!” The nobleman launched a new blow, which was blocked again by Tsukasa with little effort. “You just want this to be resolved soon without further compromising our positions! You don’t want to risk physically hurting me!”

Rui's attacks were frantic and incessant, and despite all the strength and anger he put into each one, it was clear to Tsukasa how out of control he was. His hands shook regularly, threatening to drop the sword in his hands, and his blows were all predictable and did not represent all the skill that Rui should possess in his handling. Tsukasa was actually almost feeling the pity that Rui despised so much.

“No! I really just want to talk to you, Rui! I love you!!”

His desperate and honest statement wasn't enough to penetrate Rui's rage-filled heart, and the words only enraged him further. How was it possible for a single look to contain so much anguish and pain? Tsukasa bit his own lip when he saw Rui's eyes red and teary, his expression contorted to hold back any tears from escaping, as if that would finally make him break down.

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Fight properly!” He was sobbing now, but still without tears, “Stop lying to me!!!”

It was useless. Rui would never listen to Tsukasa in that state, not until he calmed down and allowed himself to breathe a little. Somehow, the blond needed to make Rui stop.

Since Rui wants so much for him to take the duel between them seriously, Tsukasa would do as he wishes.

The prince clicked his tongue, suddenly staring at Rui with a determined look and finally changing his defensive stance to an offensive one. Without giving him any respite, with all the experience he has from years of training, Tsukasa delivered firm blows against Rui's sword, clearly not focusing on hitting his body but rather the metallic object, but he didn't give the nobleman time to think about it.

In a surprised grunt, after bracing himself against the blond's attacks, Rui's sword flew from his hands with a strong and accurate blow from Tsukasa on its hilt. Rui looked breathlessly at his sword a few meters away, internally calculating how quickly he could reach it before Tsukasa struck him again, and started to run.

But Tsukasa was faster, and instead of the pain he expected to feel in some part of his body, Rui's eyes widened when the blond grabbed him tightly by the arm and pulled the nobleman towards him, throwing his own sword away with a loud ‘clank' . Rui lost his breath for a moment when Tsukasa's arms mobilized him, but soon he began to struggle for freedom, releasing one of his hands in the process.

“Coward! Why did you discard your sword?! Where is your honor?! ”

If it weren't for the absurdity of the situation they found themselves in, Tsukasa would have laughed at his insistence on mentioning honor in the last few hours. He had enough of this talk of honor. The prince did not respond to the nobleman, clasping the hand that had come loose and bringing Rui closer with the other on his back. Rui held his breath, slightly reducing his resistance against the the blond.

It was almost like-

“Honor be damned. You can call me a coward as many times as you want, but I’m tired of all this.” Tsukasa said tiredly with a tone of irritation. His hands remained motionless where they were, guiding the two in a smooth and slow sequence of steps.

It was almost like a dance.

Rui completely stopped resisting when he realized Tsukasa's intentions. The place where they were only intensified his gesture. Duels and swords were never their language, being artistic and romantic people at their core, and it was just a means of venting momentary anger and frustration, but never a solution. Rui should know that.

“Finally calmed down?” The prince asked after a few minutes, still leading them in the dance, seeing that Rui didn't answer him. “This kind of reaction is not like you. I must have hurt you a lot. I’m sorry, Rui.”

The blond's honest words finally made the nobleman look at him. Why was Tsukasa apologizing to him? If anything, Rui was the one who should apologize. Everything was his fault. Everything

“… So what you said earlier is true? You love me?”

Of course this would be the first thing to come out of Rui's mouth after he freaked out, lost control of his emotions and tried to hit Tsukasa with his sword. Selfish as always. But at that moment, more than anything, he finally needed true confirmation. No more lies or half-truths.

To his surprise, Tsukasa smiled gently at him, twirling him around once during their dance. In the corner of his eyes, two blades on the ground gleamed in the sunlight, bringing him shame for his irrational actions.

“Yes, I love you, Rui.” The prince began in a low voice, “I've loved you since before I realized I loved you.”

Rui's eyes widened, wanting to cry again. A soft, relieved and happy smile appeared on his face, and Rui hid his flushed face in Tsukasa's hair as they danced.

“If you want me to be a true romantic, I would tell you I loved you from the first time I saw you. But I think our first interactions would make you doubt that.”

Rui laughed weakly, still hiding his face, but Tsukasa didn't mind just feeling the warm air against his hair as long as he kept smiling. Theatrical romantic nonsense suits them better than drama.

“If it weren't for my choices and apprehension by high society, I would also tell you that I fell in love at first sight. But look where we stand now, it proves the opposite.” The purple-haired one finally returned to his normal posture. “At least I can still be a romantic by saying that you truly are my first love, Tsukasa.”

The prince smiled even more at that, having missed hearing his name said so dearly by Rui, who sees him for who he is, without titles. Tsukasa stopped the dance, the two motionless in the center of the open dancefloor, just like that day in the garden; but this time neither of them would be cowardly and run away from their feelings.

Tsukasa's gaze was so warm and full of affection, not even needing a word to make Rui blush even more, his eyes bordering on tears with happiness. The blond carefully caressed his face, a clear request, and Rui tilted his head down to meet him halfway in a soft and light kiss.

The nobleman couldn't contain his smile amidst the sequential kisses, their faces naturally meeting again after breathing, as if pulled by magnets. Rui hugged Tsukasa after a few minutes in their timid kissing, still in silence, finally letting himself completely relax and feeling all the accumulated tiredness hitting his tired body.

But Rui didn't care about his tiredness at the moment, feeling his cheeks hurt from smiling so much with true happiness. He looked at Tsukasa and reveled in his passion-filled gaze, finally letting a few tears run down his face. It felt like a dream.

Then, in all his bliss, everything faded to black. The last thing Rui heard were voices calling his name and a warm body supporting him. He felt safer and happier than ever.

Chapter Text

To Rui's happiness, he had finally woken up from his sleep with no rays of sunlight in his eyes. He was getting tired of this incident and would probably ask for the curtains in his room to be replaced with heavier ones… Ah, although in three days the social season would end and he would have to return to the north, so the request would be unnecessary.

He was actually supposed to return north hours ago. After all, how long has it been since Rui passed out? Had everything that happened even been real? Rui grunted and finally opened his eyes to look at the clock on the wall in his room, but to his surprise, he found Tsukasa lying face down on his arms on the edge of the bed, snoring lightly.

Rui couldn't help but blush at the sight, his chest filling with an inexplicable warmth to confirm that he hadn't imagined the entire confession scene (he would ignore his shameful actions for now). Tsukasa didn't look comfortable in that position, his body sitting on the chair and bent in the middle by resting his upper body on the bed, but Rui wanted to enjoy his sleeping face a little more, delicately stroking his silky hair.

Now that they had resolved the misunderstanding between them and their feelings were reciprocal, all that’s left is to properly discuss the courtship between the two. But could Rui survive having someone as brilliant as Tsukasa by his side? Was he even worth it of such love and honor? Just seeing the blond sleeping so close to him like that made him want to hide his face in his hands and scream like a lady reading sweet romance novels.

Amidst his shameful thoughts, Tsukasa slowly opened his eyes and sat up straight in the chair, stretching once before breaking into a radiant smile when he saw the awake nobleman looking at him. Rui noticed the prince had changed from his dueling clothes into something more comfortable, and as he looked at himself, he noticed that although he was still wearing the same blouse and pants he had put on in the morning, someone had removed his vest and boots before laying him down on the bed.

“Hello, Rui. Did you sleep well?” The blond asked, suddenly embarrassed that he had also been caught sleeping next to the bed.

So cute.

No, Rui would definitely not survive having the right to see that sight frequently.

“Yes. I’m sorry for fainting without warning.”

He looked down at the blanket that covered his body, embarrassed, but soon Tsukasa held his hands with his own, still showing that gentle smile.

“You gave me, Saki and Mizuki a big scare.” The prince said in a good-natured tone. “They only left after the doctor confirmed three times that you were fine and had only fainted from exhaustion.”

The nobleman smiled lightly from all the care he received. “I’ll have to apologize to them properly later.”

"Yes, later. Right now it would be better for you to rest more.”

Rui protested against that with a frown, sitting up from his previously lying position on the bed. “I’ve slept enough, the sun is already setting.”

The curtains were not closed, allowing Rui to clearly see the orange hues of the last rays of sunlight coming through the cracks in the window. Either way, Tsukasa wasn't going to give up just yet.

“The doctor said you have to rest more if you want to get better until the closing ball in three days.”

Rui wasn't that unwell… Was he? He doesn't need that much rest just because he's barely slept or eaten in the last seven days or so.

“Do you really want to take care of me that much, Tsukasa?” It was the first thing he could think of to retort to the prince, making Tsukasa blush and look away.

“I’m just worried about my lover, can’t I?”

“O-of course you can.”

His teasing turned back to Rui, but this time they were both embarrassed. Despite the silence, neither of them made a point of letting go of each other's hands. It all felt like a dream come true. After a few seconds, Rui finally spoke.

“… Did Saki tell you everything?”

Tsukasa shook his head, looking back at Rui. “Just the basics.”

“Allow me to clarify any doubts you may have. It’s not like you’re going to let me get out of this bed anytime soon.”

His tone was slightly irritated, but nothing serious, and Tsukasa sighed in resignation.

“Very well, since you insist on not resting properly.” The prince responded with the same tone and quickly reorganized the information in his mind, making sure to remember his questions.

“Saki explained to me that it was your idea to pretend to court. And I understand your reasoning, but knowing you now, I ask why go through with such a risky plan?”

“… Well, I would say that desperation made me not think twice.” He began, ashamed of his decisions. “I don’t like not having control over certain situations, and feeling trapped and without freedom made me lose part of my rationality, I think.”

Tsukasa made a thoughtful sound of understanding. “After everything we’ve been through these last few days, I can see this clearly…”

“I’m not like this normally!” Rui defended himself, “Our situation was just a bigger misunderstanding than necessary.”

Tsukasa frowned, once again remembering how it all happened and what led them to do everything they did. "Yes. I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”

“No, it’s entirely my fault! I didn’t want to listen to Saki, and I ended up making the situation worse between us by not telling you anything!” Rui lightly squeezed Tsukasa's hands to reassure him.

“But I also acted without talking to Saki or you.” Tsukasa squeezed back.

“But you had no way of knowing! Your reason for acting as you did is much more plausible than mine. I would do the same thing if I fell in love with my sister's suitor.”

Rui didn't consider Tsukasa's point of view in all of that, acting as if what he thought was actually real and without confirming it directly with the blond. The nobleman would not forgive himself anytime soon for having caused all that confusion.

“Either way, I was too cruel to you when we could have just talked calmly.”

Tsukasa shook his head, closing his eyes in dissatisfaction, and Rui sighed, knowing that this discussion would lead nowhere as neither of them would give in the blame.

“Let’s just apologize and move on, shall we?”

“… Alright, I'm sorry, Rui. I promise to never hurt you like this again.”

Rui opened a sincere smile, stroking Tsukasa's hand with his thumb. “Apology accepted.” His eyes twinkled for an instant. “I'm sorry for not communicating properly with you, I promise not to hide anything from you anymore, Tsukasa.”

With that, the blond leaned forward and supported himself on the bed with one hand, placing a light kiss on Rui's lips, who opened a soft smile as the prince repeated the action two more times before returning to his initial position, sitting on the chair.

“As for the situation with high society… I will discuss with my parents about measures to reduce false rumors.”

Rui gasped, eyes widening, suddenly very awake. "Your parents! How are we going to tell them all this? What will they think?”

Despite the urgency in Rui's tone, the blond didn't show any despair, this time stroking the nobleman’s hand to calm him down.

“They already know.” Tsukasa said, but that only made Rui more flustered. "Don’t worry. Saki and I explained to them what happened.”

“And did you just tell them all that happened?!”

“Did you want me to hide it from them? It is impossible to keep them unaware of a duel for honor within their own palace.”

The prince's tone indicated nothing negative, so Rui took a deep breath, considering that the monarchs' response had not been anything drastic. The nobleman wouldn't know what to do if he received some kind of punishment for everything he caused, much less how he would look at his own parents.

“Besides, I tried, but they called for me and Saki shortly after you fainted.” Tsukasa confessed quietly.

“And what did they say exactly?”

“Well, they laughed first.”

Unexpected.

“Then they reprimanded us.”

It's the normal thing to happen.

“And finally, they said they support whatever choice we make.”

“What?!” Rui exclaimed, earning a slightly confused look from Tsukasa.

"Why the surprise? They just want us to clear things up before the social season is over, and that’s the least I should be able to do as crown prince.”

There was no reason for Tsukasa's parents to reject the courtship between the two, especially after everything was clarified and there was no real offense or threat. In fact, the rulers were ecstatic to know that someone had finally caught Tsukasa's attention romantically, so of course they wanted to keep him as happy as possible and ensure the safety of everyone involved.

“And how do we do that? Just officially announce our courtship and pretend the fake one with Saki never happened?” Rui asked, still not convinced.

“No, we have no choice but to actually explain the situation to everyone. Of course, we will leave most details out, but that should be enough to satisfy the curiosity of high society.”

“And Saki?” It was the most important factor for Rui. After everything the princess did for them, being the victim of nasty rumors too, the last thing he wanted was for her to remain affected by his mistakes.

“I talked to her about it, actually-”

A knock on the door interrupted Tsukasa, and when the door opened, Saki appeared on the other side. Her eyes widened when she saw Rui awake, and then ran to the other side of the bed, where he was lying.

“You finally woke up! How are you feeling?” The princess asked worriedly, briefly checking Rui for any signs of discomfort.

“I feel fine, thank you.”

“Great!” It was the only thing Saki said before slapping him across the face with no warning. “How could you worry me like that?! How many times have I told you to talk to Tsukasa?!!”

“Ouch, ouch, ok, I deserved it…” Rui massaged his cheek, laughing lightly and painfully, then looking at Tsukasa next to him.

“Don’t look at me like that, I was slapped earlier too!” The prince defended himself, making Saki cross her arms indignantly.

“Because you were acting foolishly, I had to bring you back to your senses.”

“You could have left the slap out…”

“You wouldn’t stop to listen to me if I did.”

Tsukasa looked away in embarrassment, knowing very well that could have been the case, since he was a feeling mess at the time. His focus at that moment was only Saki's well-being, so he probably would have made her go back to her room without giving her a chance to protest.

Saki sighed heavily after everyone remained silent for a few seconds, lowering her head regretfully before muttering.

“It's my fault.”

“No!” Tsukasa and Rui exclaimed at the same time. At least they agreed on that.

“Don’t blame yourself for anything, Saki. I was the one who betrayed your trust.” Rui consoled her.

“But I could have done more.”

“You’ve done enough, we’re all clear now.”

Yes, it was like Tsukasa said, they were finally all on the same page. And although they still have a lot to talk about what happened, they could leave this for more opportune moments outside the social season, discussed calmly and honestly between them.

“As for high society…” The nobleman began again, still worried, but Saki was quick to reassure him.

“Don't worry about it, Tsukasa and I have come to a decision and we have everything under control. We will tell you the details later.”

The princess said firmly, clearly showing that she would like Rui to first focus on resting and regaining his energy before dealing with stressful matters like high society and its rumors. The purple-haired nobleman sighed, smiling, accepting that no one would let him leave until he took care of himself.

“Rui?” She called him smiling, the atmosphere between the three more pleasant than ever before.

“Yes?"

“Please take good care of my brother.” Saki asked with an honest tone, then looking at his brother seriously. “And you do the same for him too, Tsukasa! I want no more poor communication between you.”

“I promise Saki.” Rui responded by bowing his head in respect.

“And we will not break this promise!” Tsukasa added then with a bright smile. Saki nodded to herself, smiling satisfied with the answer, before looking back at Rui with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

“If my brother does something bad to you or neglects you, you can come talk to me, and I’ll deal with him personally!”

They laughed together to Tsukasa's panic as he let out a high-pitched sound of indignation at his sister insinuating that he was capable of doing something like that against Rui.

“Saki??! I would never!!”

The next day was more chaotic than the previous one. Rui was already much better and in a better mood, so he paid his respects and apologized to the monarchs, explaining his side of the story. To his relief, everything Tsukasa had told him was true, and the two blessed the courtship between Rui and Tsukasa.

The nobleman let out a long sigh of relief as he exited the throne room, only to be confronted by Nene, Emu, and Mizuki right on the way out, demanding answers. In the end, everything was resolved without many problems, just a strong reprimand from Nene, but it was just her way of showing how worried she was about Rui.

“What’s wrong with you? A duel, really? You haven’t practiced swordsmanship in years, Rui!”

“I would strangle you myself if you went back to the north without me!”

“From the beginning I knew it wasn’t a good idea…”

These were just some of the comments that Rui had to listen to for the rest of the afternoon.

On the third and final day, all the nobles attended the grand ending ball at the palace. Everyone was festive and looking forward to the end of the social season, but mainly because perhaps they would finally have an outcome to the drama between the royal heirs and Rui Kamishiro. After all, the future duke hadn't attended the events in over a week, and despite people saying he was ill, there's a limit to how much high society is willing to believe words without proof.

It was practically impossible for lord Rui not to attend the ball arranged by the emperor and empress themselves, and as a result, part of the people were hopeful of finally receiving the announcement of the official courtship, while the other part already gave up and believed that it was all orchestrated.

In a way, both sides were minimally right. Rui and Saki orchestrated most of that play, and Tsukasa took responsibility for finishing it; As for the official announcement of a royal courtship… Well… Nobody expected that not only the princess would make such an announcement, but the prince as well. And the expression of surprise and confusion that all the spectators had when Rui took Tsukasa's side and held his hand, all while Saki happily called her ladies-in-waiting to stand beside her, was, to say the least, comical.

As planned by Tsukasa, they briefly explained what happened, and despite wanting to keep the details secret, the fake courtship and its motive could not avoid being exposed, being a crucial part of the explanation. As expected, opinions were diverse and divided. The majority accepted everything with minimal fuss, others called that deception an outrage, but of course no one would have the courage to insult royal actions on an occasion like that, much less in front of the rulers; so the opposers were forced to keep silent themselves, with false appearance and stillness.

There was nothing to do, Saki, Tsukasa and Rui had already accepted that. Complaints, gossip, and rumors would always happen, but being the end of the social season, fortunately it would soon stop being the focus and become just another story for tedious afternoon teas. Better yet, it would become a beautiful and true love story worthy of being recorded in history books! With luck, adapted into plays and romantic tales.

All's well that ends well, right? Tsukasa and Rui had finally sorted things out, and Saki and her ladies-in-waiting were officially courting publicly. Rui felt bad for making the princess reveal her secret relationship, but Saki assured him that one time or another she would have to make that announcement; and that at least doing it alongside him and her brother made things better.

But unfortunately, they didn't have that much time together to talk at the moment.

“This is the end of the social season…”

Rui said as soon as they finally found time for themselves on one of the balconies, just like that time, illuminated only by the moonlight. This time, instead of a glass of liquor, Tsukasa's hands were busy holding Rui's.

“Can you stay in the capital a little longer?” The prince asked with a sad look, not wanting to part with his beloved now that they were finally together.

“No. I urgently need to explain everything to my parents, and it wouldn't be possible just through letters.”

“If so, then let me go with you to the north!”

Tsukasa exclaimed, holding the other's hands tighter and bringing them close to his face, placing light kisses on the tips of the phalanges under the gloves. Rui blushed, still not used to it, but he didn't let himself be distracted from the question.

“So suddenly?”

“You're only leaving in two days, aren't you? I'll follow proper etiquette and send a letter to your parents in advance. It'll be easier to explain with me there, won't it?”

The blond begged with his eyes, and Rui couldn't help but laugh at his determination.

“After everything we've been through, you choose now to follow the rules of etiquette?”

“Better late than never. I want to do everything right as your suitor from now on.”

Rui laughed blushingly, lowering his head to place a soft kiss on the top of Tsukasa's hair. The prince, dissatisfied, then pulled him down by the collar, sealing his lips in a proper kiss. One of the first of many to come.

“I love you, Rui.”

“I love you too, Tsukasa.”

And the love between them would continue to grow and blossom. So much so that it would not be able to be contained in the labels of simple courtship.

But…

Does one know the proper etiquette to propose to your lover?